Steve Brine gives qualified welcome to improving infection control figures from the Winchester & Eastleigh NHS Trust.
New figures from the Health Protection Agency show that the Trust running Winchester's hospital is on target with infection control.
Each NHS Trust has an upper target for MRSA and C difficile cases.
For Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust that figure is 12 and 150 respectively for 2007/08. Figures released today (Jan 30) show that there have been five cases of MRSA bloodstream infection and 93 cases of C diff.
Chief Executive Martin Wakeley said: “Reducing the risk of infection is a priority for us. Our aim is to improve the health of our patients and so we would like to get to a point where no infections at all are acquired in our hospitals.
“I am really pleased to say that there have been some fantastic developments this year. These include a new and robust procedure for how we use and monitor the small tubes (cannulae) that allow introduction of fluids and medicine. We have also implemented a revised antibiotic policy and changed the cleaning chemicals we use to a bleach-based product.
“I am also thrilled with our record in particular clinical areas, such as knee surgery. We report infections on a quarterly basis and there have been no infections whatsoever for the 288 patients who have had knee replacements from October 2006 to September 2007.”
Prospective Winchester MP Steve Brine added; “This is good news for the Winchester and Eastleigh Trust. All credit must go to the staff who I know work extremely hard, often in difficult circumstances, to keep patients clear of MRSA and C-Dif in particular. Winchester has a historically low level of hospital acquired infections, but I am pleased the new Chief Executive has made it his top priority.
"Any infection picked up while in hospital is one too many, the aim must be for an infection free NHS across the country, not a centrally imposed Government target to manage an acceptable number of infections in any one year.”