Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 205: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the numbers of MRSA and Clostridium difficile or other hospital-based infections that have been reported on a monthly basis in each of the past two years to date in 2009; the extent of variation in this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39696/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 206: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the extent to which the causes of MRSA and Clostridium difficile infection have been addressed by her directly or through the Health Service Executive; how this has been reflected in the number of cases reported; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39697/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together.

Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs) continue to be a challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Ireland is not unique in this regard and tackling HCAIs here continues to be a priority for the government and for the Health Service Executive (HSE). In March 2007, the HSE launched a National Infection Control Action Plan. An Infection Control Steering Group is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the plan. Over the period of the Plan the HSE aims to reduce HCAIs by 20%, MRSA infection by 30% and antibiotic consumption by 20%. 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 National Surveillance system was established by the HSE to collect data and provide information to monitor HCAIs in our health system. The number of MRSA bloodstream infections for the past three years are - 588 cases in 2006, 536 cases in 2007 and 436 cases in 2008. This shows a significant decrease of over 25% between 2006 and 2008. The data is collated on a quarterly basis and for the first six months of 2009 the number of MRSA bloodstream infections were 191 which a reduction of over 20% from the first six months of 2008 when the cases numbered 241.

Up until May 2008, C. difficile was not a notifiable disease and, as a result, it was difficult to quantify the extent of infection in the healthcare system. Since May 4th 2008, all cases are required to be notified to the relevant Department of Public Health. These are reported on a weekly basis and the number of cases reported nationally from May to December 2008 was 1625 and from January to 17th October 2009 was 1574.

In order to introduce measures to aid in the reduction of antibiotic prescribing, education campaigns for healthcare staff and the general public around the prudent use of antibiotics commenced last year. The HSE launched a three week awareness campaign in November 2008 to highlight the importance of using antibiotics properly. This coincided with the first European Antibiotic Awareness Day. The awareness campaign included radio ads and distribution of leaflets on the prudent use of antibiotics. Earlier this year, new environmental guidelines to inform infection control policy in all new builds and refurbishments were published by the HSE.

HIQA, since its establishment in 2007, has also taken significant steps in this area. A core function of the Authority is to set standards on safety and quality of health services and to monitor enforcement of those standards in an open and transparent way. In 2007, HIQA developed National Hygiene Standards and commenced a programme of audit against these Standards. The Authority undertook a comprehensive inspection and review of hygiene in our acute public hospitals in 2007 and again in 2008. This included unannounced visits by inspection teams. The reports, which were published, represent a thorough assessment of how hygiene services are provided and managed in HSE-funded acute care hospitals. HIQA noted that the standard of front line services which was already very high in 2007 had been maintained in 2008 and that corporate governance was significantly improved.

In May 2009, HIQA published its National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections to provide an overall framework for health and social care providers to prevent or minimise the occurrence of HCAIs. These Standards include all key areas of importance in the control of HCAIs namely governance, hygiene, microbiological services, antimicrobial resistance and surveillance systems as well as relevant aspects of the design of facilities. Six months will now be allowed for the development by the HSE of a self-assessment tool, gap analysis and implementation plan before HIQA commences its initial review against those Standards.

I am satisfied that significant steps are being taken to reduce the rates of HCAIs generally and to treat them promptly when they occur.