Recommendations
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland recommends that a pilot screening programme for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) be conducted in patients on admission to hospital.
Patient screening - A primary study should be set up in acute inpatient care within a whole NHS Board area (which should include a tertiary referral hospital and one or more large general hospitals) to assess whether screening all patients for MRSA is effective in preventing MRSA infection. Data from this study should be collected for at least one year to decide whether MRSA screening results in a reduction in prevalence of MRSA. The Scottish Government should fund and manage this study.
Staff screening - There is currently insufficient evidence on staff MRSA transmission to determine an appropriate schedule of screening and subsequent management. Therefore, current guidelines indicating screening on occasion of unexplained outbreaks should be followed.
Service requirements - Systems should be developed to collect patient-based data on the prevalence of MRSA colonisation and infection to determine the effectiveness of infection control strategies.
Patient information - High-quality patient information on MRSA, the purposes of screening and methods to achieve infection control should be distributed to all patients and/or relatives on admission to hospital.
Patient care - Care of patients isolated as a result of MRSA colonisation or infection should not result in their being or feeling unnecessarily disadvantaged.
HTA Advice
HTA 9 advice, Screening for MRSA (PDF, 82K, 11secs)
Also available
HTA 9 Report: The clinical and cost effectiveness of screening for MRSA
