19 September 2007
Screening to detect MRSA can result in “less infection, shorter stays in hospital and many lives saved”, says a new report published today (Wednesday) by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS).
The NHS QIS Health Technology Assessment (HTA) into MRSA screening has found that routine MRSA testing of patients on admission to hospital could significantly reduce infection rates by attacking the bacterium at source, before it becomes a problem.
MRSA is a bacterium that lives relatively harmlessly on the human body, and 52 million people worldwide are thought to carry this bacterium, which is resistant to antibiotics, at any one time. The main danger from MRSA comes when it moves from the skin into the body, usually through an open wound or sore.
The report examined a variety of MRSA screening options and makes detailed recommendations for implementation, including:
- A pilot screening programme for MRSA should be conducted on patients when admitted to hospital. The pilot programme should be conducted in the acute care setting involving a tertiary referral hospital and large general hospitals. The pilot should be carried out for at least one year.
- Systems should be put in place to collect patient-based data on MRSA prevalence, colonisation and effectiveness of control strategies, to determine the effectiveness of infection control strategies.
- High-quality patient information on MRSA and the purposes of screening should be distributed to all patients and visitors.
- Care of patients isolated as a result of colonisation or infection should not result in the patient feeling disadvantaged.
As a first step, the report recommends a pilot programme be created to establish whether the benefits of screening can be realised in the NHS.
Commenting, NHS QIS Chairman, Sir Graham Teasdale, said:
“The source of MRSA is not hospitals, it is the human body. The main reservoir for infection is on our own skin. By identifying those people carrying MRSA and separating them, it is less likely that the bacterium will spread in the hospital and therefore we can reduce infection rates and save lives.
“Screening offers the chance to test patients when they are pre-assessed for elective surgery or when first admitted. Within twenty-four hours, we will know whether MRSA is present on their skin and take action to avoid infection and prevent the bacterium spreading to other patients.
“Implementing a screening programme without causing major disruption to the normal working of a hospital will be a challenge. We are therefore proposing that a pilot programme is created to establish whether the benefits of screening can be realised in the NHS. We think that this approach works and can be used effectively by the NHS and will lead to less infection, shorter stays in hospital, and many lives saved.”
Media contact: Stephen Ferguson on 07779 329 689