Trust fails to meet its superbug target

Sep 28 2007 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

A NORTH-East hospital trust has failed to meet national MRSA targets a year after bosses called in a government hit squad to help tackle the superbug.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has missed targets set by the Department of Health for three years running.

The breaches mean the trust has failed to meet the nationwide government requirement for a 60% reduction of MRSA in hospitals by March next year.

The blow has come seven months ahead of the deadline, as the trust which runs North Tyneside General Hospital, Wansbeck General and Hexham General, hit 30 cases of the bug against this financial year’s target of 27.

Although the numbers are relatively small against over 4,000 admissions it receives every week, and some cases were brought in from the community, the consequences are serious.

The trust has called on the Department of Health for help in dealing with MRSA for the second time since February last year, and is currently being monitored monthly.

Bryan Marshall, director of infection prevention and control at the trust, branded the targets for each financial year ‘tough’ but spoke of his disappointment at the failure. “It was always going to be a tough target to achieve but I was disappointed that the target was breached early on,” he said.

“Although we have made improvements they are difficult targets to meet.

“If you consider the number of patients we treat a year, although these infections are a tragedy for individuals, they are comparably rare events.”

The failure may affect the trusts’s annual rating by watchdog the Healthcare Commission, and foundation trust regulator Monitor may also take action.

Other trusts in the region are failing their targets according to the region’s health authority NHS North-East, but South Tyneside were the only trust other than Northumbria Healthcare to provide their figures when requested.

Northumbria Healthcare is the only trust to be monitored by the Department of Health.

A number of initiatives are under way at the trust including MRSA screening of adult patients, investment in domestic staff to meet cleaning standards and a deep cleaning programme has been carried out.

The trust is believed to be the first in the region to introduce voice boxes outside wards reminding patients, staff and visitors to wash their hands with alcohol gel.

Chief executive Jim Mackey said the trust is working with the primary care trusts to deter infections that occur outside hospitals.

Unison regional officer Paul Summers blamed cuts across the NHS for a reduction in cleaners and a rise in infections.

He welcomed the government’s raft of measures announced this week including ward closures and deep cleaning of hospitals to bring down infection rates.

“The government must provide the funding for trusts to tackle MRSA effectively. We need to make sure patient safety is the main priority.”

Tynemouth MP Alan Campbell said he has received assurances from the trust that it has thrown everything at the problem.

“We have to be prepared to do everything we can as it is a major concern for people who use the NHS,” he said.

Ronnie Campbell, Blyth MP and Health Select Committee member, said: “In three years they should have managed the target and should not be in this position.”

A Department of Health spokesperson confirmed Northumbria Healthcare is ‘engaged’ with its MRSA Improvement Team and said it is ‘satisfied’ with the action taken.

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