Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, revealed that MRSA rates have dropped by 30%, while the number of cases of C. difficile is down by 40% - the lowest levels since reporting began.

 

“Despite the considerable pressures they face, our staff have succeeded in achieving a significant reduction in healthcare associated infections and this is an outstanding achievement”

Speaking during an Assembly debate, he said: “Every year more than six million people use our healthcare facilities including health and social care staff, the many thousands who receive care and treatment, and the relatives and friends who come to visit them.

 

“At the same time, demand for hospital services is rising at unprecedented rates – up by some 9% this year and around 12% the year before. We are treating more and more people and our staff are stretching themselves to the limit to deal with the increasing demand for services within the limited resources available.

 

“However, despite the considerable pressures they face, our staff have succeeded in achieving a significant reduction in healthcare associated infections and this is an outstanding achievement.”

 

But he added that, while the figures were good news, there was no room for complacency.

 

“We have introduced a range of tough measures to drive down infections and improve standards of hospital cleanliness,” he said. “This has included the development of a hospital visiting policy, a dress code for healthcare staff, a regional hand hygiene programme, rapid-response cleaning teams in hospitals, and the rolling programme of unannounced hygiene inspections of hospitals.

“While the inspections highlighted areas of real improvement, they also pointed to areas where significant improvement is required. All trusts have produced detailed action plans to deal with any issues which were identified and I expect these to be implemented as a matter of urgency. In addition, each trust has identified a member of staff at director level who has overall responsibility for hygiene and cleanliness issues within the organisation.”

 

 

Towards the end of last year the minister also announced further action on hospital cleanliness with the setting up of a new team to drive up cleanliness standards in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

 

He said: “This team, which comprises senior staff from the Department of Health and Public Health Agency, will report to me on a monthly basis. Their role will be to ensure there are rigorous monitoring arrangements in place to check that real and rapid improvements are being delivered.

 

“Cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility, not just the domestic and cleaning services staff. We should never forget all those staff who are working hard to deliver clean hospitals and have achieved some outstanding successes.”