Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if, with regard to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre quarterly publication of infection rates in hospitals, these reports will only count the number of MRSA bloodstream infections, or if they will include MRSA wound infections, lung infections, bone infections and other hospital acquired infections such as C difficile; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9392/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I would like to assure the Deputy that tackling all Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs), including MRSA and C Difficile continues to be a priority for the Government and for the Health Service Executive (HSE).

A National Surveillance System has recently been established by the HSE to collect data and provide information on a quarterly basis on four key areas to monitor HCAIs in our health system:

1. Staphylococcus bacteraemia (blood stream infections);

2. Antibiotic consumption;

3. Alcohol gel use;

4. MRSA surveillance in Intensive Care Units.

The data on MRSA surveillance in Intensive Care Units will cover all MRSA infections, including MRSA wound infections, lung infections and bone infections. The HSE intend to publish available data on the above for 2006 and 2007 in April this year and then quarterly thereafter. The data will be listed by individual hospital and in due course, where appropriate, by each Local Health Office. However, as the total data on surveillance in Intensive Care Units is new, the historical information for 2006 and 2007 will not include data under this heading.

In relation to Clostridium difficile (C difficile), my Department, in conjunction with the HSE, is actively considering the addition of a small number of diseases, including C difficile to the list of notifiable diseases. This will be finalised as soon as the EU issues a new list of case definitions. In the meantime, I am arranging that C difficile be included as an organism which is notifiable under the category "acute infectious gastroenteritis". This will in effect make C difficile notifiable in the short term and on that basis I will be asking the HSE now to also provide data on C difficile on a quarterly basis as soon as possible.