Written answers

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Department of Health

Hospital Acquired Infections

8:00 pm

Photo of Ciara ConwayCiara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for Health if he has plans to put on a statutory footing the 1995 guidelines for the control of MRSA published by his Department; when this will happen; the reason for the delay in implementing these guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12685/12]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The prevention and control of MRSA is a global challenge and important in the control of healthcare associated infections. In 1995 the Department of Health published Guidelines for the control of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in acute hospital wards, including specialist units.

However, in the period following publication of the guidelines many significant new challenges, including the increasing rate of resistance to antibiotics, arose. In 2005, the Infection Control Committee of the Strategy for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance in Ireland (SARI) reviewed the literature on MRSA and revised the 1995 Irish guidelines. The Subcommittee utilised guidelines produced in other countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States of America, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

Implementation of guidelines is now within the context of the National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, which were published by the Health Information and Quality Authority in 2009. These standards were designed to promote an environment that maximises safety, quality and accountability in health and social care services and to drive a culture of responsibility and accountability among all staff involved in the management and delivery of health and social care services. These National Standards are the key component in maximising patient safety and improving the quality of health and social care in Ireland.

The HSE /Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (RCPI) Clinical Advisory Group on HCAIs has submitted the latest guidelines on the Control and Prevention of MRSA to the National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) for consideration to become part of the national suite of clinical guidelines. The NCEC has received 16 submissions and is currently undertaking a prioritisation exercise to identify which submissions will proceed to the next stage of the process.

I am satisfied that appropriate steps are being taken by the HSE to address the issue of HCAIs, including MRSA, and to treat them promptly when they occur. The HSE's performance indicators at national level continue to demonstrate encouraging improvements in the area of infection prevention and control with the reported incidence of MRSA dropping by 43% in the number of MRSA cases reported between 2007 and 2010.

Photo of Ciara ConwayCiara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 576: To ask the Minister for Health when the next hospital hygiene audit is due to be published; if representatives from patient groups will be allowed to accompany auditors during this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12686/12]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The control of Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs) continues to be a policy priority for the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE). Maintaining hospital hygiene practice is an essential component of the drive to reduce HCAIs.

Under Section 8 of the Health Act 2007, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has statutory power to set standards on safety and quality in relation to services provided by the HSE and service providers in accordance with specified Acts. The Authority is also charged with monitoring compliance with such standards. However, it is a matter for the Authority to determine how it can most effectively deliver on its responsibilities having regard to competing priorities and available resources.

HIQA's National Infection Prevention and Control Standards were published in May 2009. The Authority carried out a national hygiene audit in late 2009 and undertook hygiene audits of hospitals during 2010. It is the intention of the Authority to undertake a number of unannounced inspections this year to monitor compliance with the National Standards. Furthermore, when the National Standards for Better Safer Healthcare are mandated, the Authority also intends to assess the management of HCAIs as part of the monitoring of these Standards. Previously, the Authority has included laypersons on a number of inspection teams and as part of every investigation team. The Authority is favourably disposed to having lay people joining its inspection teams and is looking at the feasibility of enabling this.

It should also be noted that the HSE undertook two self-assessment units in acute facilities against HIQA's national standards in 2009 and 2011. The results of these assessments showed a significant improvement in the national score. The Internal Audit Service of the HSE has also undertaken a review in a small number of facilities of some of the standards.

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