James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the rate of incidence of MRSA and other hospital acquired infections for public hospitals in Cork; the occupancy rates in respect of these hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29418/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Tackling all Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs), including MRSA continues to be a priority for the Government and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The HSE launched a National Infection Control Action Plan in March 2007. An Infection Control Steering Group is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the plan. Over the next five years, the HSE aims to reduce HCAIs by 20%, MRSA infection by 30% and antibiotic consumption by 20%. Achievement of these targets will benefit all patients who are at risk. The Steering Group is supported by eight Local Implementation Teams which will ensure that all local facilities are focused on achieving the national targets.

A new National Surveillance System has 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, from 2008 onwards. This data (excluding MRSA in ICUs) has been compiled and published for 2006 and 2007. The table below is an extract of the relevant hospitals requested by the Deputy, taken from the most recent report of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

This table gives the number of MRSA bloodstream isolates by acute public hospital for 2007. Most of the variation in reported numbers of S. aureus bloodstream infections between hospitals can be explained by differences in hospital size, activity and patient populations. At present there is no way to adjust the data to allow for these differences and hence direct comparisons between hospitals are not possible.

Other measures taken to reduce the incidence of HCAIs include the appointment of additional infection control staff, education campaigns for healthcare staff and the general public around the prudent use of antibiotics and the use of designated private beds for isolation purposes where required for patients who contract HCAIs. In addition, new environmental building guidelines to inform infection control policy in all new builds and refurbishments are expected to be published by the HSE later this month.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) undertook a comprehensive review of hygiene in our acute hospitals in 2007 and published its report last November. In addition, HIQA is due to publish Infection Prevention and Control Standards later this year. When finalised, these standards, along with the National Hygiene Standards, will provide a comprehensive framework to control infection in all healthcare settings.

It should be noted that if a patient is diagnosed with a bloodstream infection at a given hospital it does not indicate that the infection was acquired at that hospital. Many bloodstream infections are acquired in the community, but only diagnosed upon admission to hospital. A patient may either have acquired the infection in one hospital, but the infection may be diagnosed on transfer to another hospital.

While accepting that not all HCAIs are preventable, I am satisfied that significant steps are being taken to reduce the rates of HCAIs generally and to treat them promptly when they occur.