Rates of MRSA bloodstream infections have continued to fall, according to new figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), but the pressure on this issue is continuing.
The HPA’s latest figures from its mandatory surveillance show there were 725 MRSA bloodstream infections in England between July and September, which is 13% less than during the previous quarter (April to June) when there were 837 cases.
This is a 33% reduction in the corresponding quarter of 2007 (July to September) when 1,082 reports were received.
The downward trend follows on from last quarter's achievement by the NHS of halving MRSA bloodstream infections across England – a national target set in 2004 by then health secretary John Reid.
Professor Mike Catchpole, director of the HPA’s Centre for Infections, said: “This continued reduction in cases of MRSA is testament to the huge efforts being made across the NHS to tackle the problem of healthcare associated infections, which remain a big challenge throughout the world.
“To ensure this downward trend continues we cannot be complacent. We must all play our part by ensuring the infection control measures that have made the current fight against MRSA so successful remain in place.”
NHS watchdog the Healthcare Commission also praised NHS organisations for achieving a sustained fall in infection rates, but added that it was extending its monitoring on this area.
Commission chief executive Anna Walker said: “This is big news for patients and a huge credit to all NHS staff. The sustained reductions show that the NHS is coming to grips with MRSA – it must not lose the momentum.
“We have seen from our inspections and assessments that many trusts still have gaps in their systems that need closing. We are demanding a high standard of infection control from trusts. This is what patients expect and are entitled to.”
The independent watchdog was continuing to inspect all hospital trusts this year to check they were taking the necessary measures against all healthcare-associated infections and was now also extending inspections to other types of trust – PCTs, mental health trusts and ambulance trusts.
Health Minister Ann Keen said: “I am delighted that the NHS has continued to raise its game by reducing infections even further.
“But we will not stop there. We have set a target for the NHS to sustain this reduction in MRSA infections and deliver a 30% reduction in C. difficile in the next three years.”
Ms Keen added that the NHS would also screen all relevant elective admissions for MRSA from next April and was developing a national minimum standard for MRSA infection that all trusts would have to meet.