Screening shows one in 20 brings MRSA superbug to wards

A pilot screening programme found hundreds of people who were admitted had picked up the potentially deadly infection and taken it on to the wards.

And it is estimated a similar proportion of hospital visitors would be carriers of the bug, leading to calls to increase screening.

NHS Lothian, which has made substantial progress in cutting rates of MRSA and fellow superbug C.diff in recent years, screened 7500 new patients as they came through the doors in the past few months.

The health board sees hygiene awareness among patients, visitors and staff as key to reducing its prevalence further.

Non-executive board member George Walker said: "I was taken aback by the MRSA screening.

"There must be more we can do to get the message out there.

"It's important people know that they are bringing MRSA in."

He pointed out that visitors too must take responsibility, adding: "I am horrified at hospitals to see people not washing their hands or using the gel."

The MRSA bug can live on people without having any impact on their health, and only through screening would it ever be noticed.

However, if the disease is transferred to a frail, vulnerable person or into a wound it can be lethal.

The concern is those who bring it into hospitals could fail to wash their hands, leaving the infection on both people and surfaces, which is why hand hygiene is such a priority in hospitals.

There were only nine episodes of MRSA across the Lothians in July, a drastic improvement on years past.

Director of public health Dr Alison McCallum said the screening meant MRSA could be nipped in the bud before it escalated.

She said: "We are continuing to make progress on this.

"We are narrowing down and identifying the patients who are admitted with MRSA so we can deal with the situation.

"We are still improving on hand washing compliance."

The Evening News reported last year that doctors were rebuked by health chiefs for having such poor hand hygiene compliance, but that has now improved significantly, meaning that attention can now turn towards patients and visitors.

Margaret Watt, chairwoman of the Scotland Patients Association, said: "Patients should be screened for this.

"We all have the potential for it to be activated on us, and if we have to be over-cautious by testing visitors as well, then let's be over-

cautious, because it is more beneficial that way."