Infection Control
Infection control in the news
Infection Control Director takes to the stage
Infection Control nurse scoops regional award
Overview
The Infection Control Service is a team of experts committed to creating a culture of effective hygiene practice throughout the organisation, thus ensuring that Infection control is everyone's business and is an essential aspect of the management of all patients.
We provide a twenty-four hour service and have an exemplary record of infection control, achieving consistently low rates of infection year on year, with particular reference to extremely low rates of MRSA bacteraemia.
Our infection control policy
Our isolation procedure
Standard precautions policy
Our MRSA policy and screening
MRSA Screening OCE
MRSA Screening Statement of Compliance
NOC infection rates:
We continue to provide services that are effective and safe. Our rates of C. difficile diarrhoea and MRSA bacteraemia make us among the best Trusts in England and the locality. An extension to the mandatory system for reporting Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs), now requires NHS acute trusts to report E. coli bloodstream infections from 1 June 2011. This reflects the zero tolerance approach that the Government has made clear the NHS should adopt for all avoidable Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs), whilst recognising that many E. coli bloodstream infections are not HCAIs. This information is useful to better understand the causes of these infections and will assist the Trust in making improvements in infection prevention and control practices.
Our infection control figures - as of 24 October 2011
| Number of MRSA cases last week |
Number of MSSA cases last week |
Number of C diff cases last week |
Rolling total of MRSA cases - 2011 |
Rolling total of MSSA cases - 2011 |
Rolling total of C diff cases - 2011 |
Date of last MRSA case |
Date of last MSSA case |
Date of last C diff case |
Weeks since last MRSA case |
Weeks since last MSSA case |
Weeks since last C diff case |
| 0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
15.06.11 |
13.05.11 |
24.10.11 |
16 weeks |
22 weeks |
1 week |
2011 NOC MRSA and Clostridium difficile rates:
| 2011 |
MRSA bacteraemia |
Clostridium difficile |
MSSA bacteraemia
|
E.coli bacteraemia |
| Jan |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Feb |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| March |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| April |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| May |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| June |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| July |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| August |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 (30.08.11) |
| September |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| October |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Financial year at a glance:
| Financial Year |
MRSA
bacteraemia
|
Clostridium
difficile |
MSSA
bacteraemia (from Jan 2011) |
E.coli bacteraemia |
| 2008/09 |
1 |
12 |
1 |
N/A |
| 2009/10 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
N/A |
| 2010/11 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
N/A |
| 2011/12 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
MRSA Screening
A new screening policy has been introduced for all NHS hospitals to reduce the risk of infections from MRSA. All patients being admitted to the hospital will be swabbed for MRSA to identify potential MRSA carriers and to reduce the risk of transmission while in hospital.
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).
One in three people naturally carry a sensitive strian of Staphylococcus aureus on the skin or in the nose, sometimes called MSSA; tiny numbers of people carry MRSA. This is known as being colonised by the bacterium - this does not normally need treatment unless an infection develops.
MRSA is a particular type of S. aureus that has developed resistance to antibiotics, including one called methicillin. 'Resistance' means that it is not killed by the antibiotic. The purpose of this screening is to detect MRSA present on the skin and to prevent the patient being infected.
A new screening policy supports the hospital's infection control measures.
Patients being admitted to the NOC will be asked to have a swab taken from their nose, abnormal skin area or any wounds. To reduce infection risk all patients will be issued with a special body wash for use prior to their surgery or treatment.
The purpose of the screening and use of the bodywash is to prevent the patient being infected by their own MRSA when undergoing surgical treatment and to reduce the risk of spread of MRSA to other vulnerable patients.
Further information on MRSA screening for patients (184KB)
Our key Infection Control priorities
- A comprehensive programme of surveillance, including mandatory surveillance of surgical site infection in orthopaedic surgery and mandatory reporting of Clostriduim difficile and Methicillin Resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)/Glycopeptide Resistanat Enterococci (GRE) Bacteraemia data
- Identification and control of outbreaks and surveillance of healthcare associated infection (HCAI)
- Active participation in Patient Environment Action Teams (PEAT) inspections across the Trust
- Implementation of the 'Clean your Hands' National programme to improve compliance with hand hygiene
- Education of all hospital staff, including facilities staff, in infection control procedures
- Liaison with clinical teams on the development of standards audit and research
- Preparation and review of policy documents
- Liaison with occupational health and public health services
- Active involvement in day to day patient management issues
- Liaison with the project team to monitor the status of the built environment, during the development of the Medicine and Orthopaedic PFI
The Team
The team is led by Dr Berendt, Medical Director and nominated executive board level Director of Infection Prevention and Control. Within the team structure are two infection control nurse specialists, a Consultant Microbiologist/Infection Control Doctor and a training and administration co-ordinator.
The team are clinically based on The Bone Infection Unit which is the United Kingdom’s only specialist service dedicated to the investigation and treatment of patients with bone or joint infection.
Bone Infection Unit
Want More Information?
You are able to access the most recent results concerning infection rates at NHS Trusts through the Health Protection Agency. The following link provides access to the quarterly reporting results for Clostridium difficile Infections and MRSA Bacteraemia.
Health Protection Agency
Here are some links to allow you to find out more about infection control:
A website has been launched to promote patient safety. It contains useful information about improving patient safety across the NHS South Central area. Click here to find out more
Contact Us:
Dr. A. R. Berendt
Director of Infection Prevention and Control (DIPC), Medical Director and Consultant Physician, Bone Infection Unit
Telephone: 01865 737502 (Medical Directors PA)
Lydia Rylance-Knight or Susan Holloway
Senior Infection Control Nurses
Telephone: 01865 737529 (Medical Directors PA)