Row over infection controls as hospital incidents treble

Published on Friday 15 January 2010 10:18

THREE infection risks are spotted every day in Lothians hospitals by staff and patients, it has emerged.

Figures have shown that the number of "infection control incidents" reported to health chiefs has trebled in the space of a year.

Patients groups said it proved hospitals were still not taking the issue of superbugs seriously enough.

The health board and nursing unions, however, said it simply pointed to a greater awareness of infections such as MRSA and C.diff and that more diligence was being shown by hospital staff.

Between June and September 2009 there were 253 such incidents logged, compared with only 82 over the same period in 2008.

The trend of more reporting has coincided with a noticeable drop in superbugs across the area over that same timeframe.

Norman Provan, the associate director of the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland, said it was important everyone contributed to cutting superbug rates.

"Everyone has a part to play in reducing healthcare associated infections so it is good news that this is being taken seriously by NHS Lothian staff and the public alike," he said.

"Now the onus is on the health board itself to put measures in place to address the issues that have been raised to ensure that everything that can be done is done in the battle against healthcare associated infections."

It is understood awareness of hygiene, such as handwashing, has increased among the public as a result of the swine flu outbreak.

This means visitors and patients are not only keener to point out their observations to management, but urge staff to keep on top of issues they might not otherwise have known about.

However, Margaret Watt, chairwoman of the Scotland Patients Association, said: "It is not up to patients to spot these things.

"Every person in Scotland who contributes to the NHS is a shareholder. It is us who employ these people, we are the boss.

"That is why managers and cleaning staff are paid to work in these places, to make sure this does not happen.

"To have 21 incidents a week is not acceptable, it should be a handful, if any at all."

Melanie Hornett, director of nursing for NHS Lothian, said: "The infection control incidents reported here mainly reflect where a ward has identified the need to improve practice rather than a staff or patient incident.

"The increase in incidents is a result of our focus on raising standards through regular auditing and follows the roll out of our electronic reporting system, which allows staff to record and identify opportunities for improvement."