Ayrshire hospital superbug cases on the rise

Oct 17 2008

HOSPITAL acquired infections in Ayrshire are on the rise – bucking the national trend.

Cases of MRSA and C-difficile rose in the latest quarter of the year in Ayrshire.

But throughout the rest of the country, the number of patients being struck down with the infections is falling.

It is despite a 95 per cent take-up of new hand washing guidance.

John Scott MSP has expressed his concern at the latest figures.

He said: “Health service managers need to review this situation and consider what further action can be taken to tighten up on procedures to prevent local patients from contracting hospital acquired infections.

“Patients need to be properly reassured that all possible steps are being taken to ensure that they will not contract a further infection after being admitted to their local hospital.”

But SNP MSP Adam Ingram hailed the new hand-washing scheme as a success.

He said: “Regular hand-washing is widely acknowledged as the simplest and most effective way of combating infection in hospitals and we must continue to get the hand hygiene message across to everyone working in and visiting our hospitals.

“The government set a hand hygiene compliance target of 90 per cent.

“Since that target has now been hit across Scotland, it is to be shifted to a no-tolerance approach in a determined effort to further drive down the incidence of hospital acquired infections, a commitment backed by a record investment of £54 million pounds.”