Written question asked by Lord Lansley (Conservative) on Friday, 13 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 17 October 2006. It was answered by Andy Burnham (Labour) on Monday, 6 November 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Healthcare-related Infections

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her most recent estimate is of (a) MRSA and (b) clostridium difficile rates per 1,000 bed days in NHS hospitals (i) in England and (ii) broken down by NHS Trust.

Answer: The latest data were published by the Health Protection Agency in July 2006¹. The overall rate of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemias in England for October 2005 to March 2006 was 0.17 per 1,000 bed days, and was unchanged from the rate for April to September 2005¹.The data for each acute national health service trust in England for each six-month period from April 2001 to March 2006 are also published².Rates of Clostridium difficile associated disease in people aged over 65 years were also published in July¹ and the overall rate for England in 2005 was 0.22 per 1,000 bed days.The rates for each acute NHS trust in England were also published³."Sources:""¹ Mandatory surveillance of health care associated infections report 2006:""www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/mandatory_report_2006.htm""² MRSA bacteraemia six-monthly data April 2001 to March 2006:""www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/MRSA_for_pririt.xls""³ Clostridium difficile yearly data January 2004 to December 2005:""www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/Clostridium_difficile_for_print.xls"

Secondary information