Southampton hospitals to screen patients for MRSA (From Daily Echo)

Southampton hospitals to screen patients for MRSA

7:30am Monday 6th April 2009 in

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HEALTH bosses have launched a strict screening programme in a bid to keep superbug MRSA out of Southampton’s hospitals.

Adult patients will now undergo screening for MRSA before admission to Southampton General Hospital and Princess Anne Hospital as part of an ongoing drive to reduce infection rates.

Inpatients are also being armed with a special liquid soap to use for the first five days of their hospital stay.

The skin disinfectant cuts the risk of MRSA infection by reducing the amount of bacteria on a patient’s body.

Between 2002 and 2006, there were 64 deaths due to MRSA at Southampton General, and 149 from C-difficile.

Patients found to be carrying MRSA will have treatment to reduce or remove it and will be carefully managed throughout their stay.

The policy also includes information for staff on patients with skin disorders who are unable to use the liquid soap, offering alternatives and the advice of a clinical pharmacist if necessary.

Tracey Cooper, consultant nurse infection prevention at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the city’s two hospitals, said: “The trust is committed to doing all we can to reduce the risk of infection and the additional measures we have put into place will help to protect patients from infection with MRSA.

“The revised policy is another development in the ongoing effort to continually cut infection rates within our hospitals.”

Latest infection figures show a reduction of 25 per cent in MRSA cases for 2008/09, while C-difficile rates have fallen by 48 per cent.