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Health: C Difficile

Answer

In relation to deaths, special analyses of deaths in England and Wales involving Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) are undertaken annually by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and results are published in Health Statistics Quarterly. The latest year for which figures are currently available is 2005. The number of deaths in England and Wales where Clostridium difficile (C. diff) was (a) mentioned and (b) the underlying cause of death from 2001 to 2005 are published in table 3 of Health Statistics Quarterly 33 (p73).¹ Figures for deaths in 1999 were also published in table 3 in Health Statistics Quarterly 30 (p58).² Data are not available for deaths in 2000. Copies of Health Statistics Quarterly are available in the Library but the annual figures for England are given in the table below.

	1999	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Mentions of C.diff	918	1,150	1,338	1,702	2,155	3,697
Number of these where underlying cause of death is C. diff	499	661	709	912	1,187	2,008

Figures from ONS for deaths involving CDI for primary care trusts cannot be provided without disproportionate costs. Mandatory surveillance of CDI was introduced in 2004 to help to establish the extent of the problem. Although not all healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) can be prevented, reduction of HCAIs, including CDIs, is a priority for the National Health Service. We have a wide ranging programme to tackle HCAIs and some key elements of this are the new indicator to reduce infections by 30 per cent by March 2011 and a new e-learning tool that we are promoting with British Medical Journal learning. The Health Act 2006: Code of practice for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections came into force on 1 October 2006 and requires NHS bodies to have appropriate management and clinical governance systems in place to deliver effective infection control. Saving Lives: a delivery programme to reduce healthcare associated infections including MRSA which included an updated high impact intervention on CDI and Antimicrobial prescribing a summary of good practice. The latter is relevant because improved prescribing helps to prevent CDI. Improvement teams are now providing tailored support to those trusts that have high numbers of patients with CDI as well as those with the most challenging meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) targets. "Source: ONS Health Statistics Quarterly""¹ Office for National Statistics (2007) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 2001-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33, 71-75.""² Office for National Statistics (2006) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 1999-2004. Health Statistics Quarterly 30, 56-60." "Source: ONS Health Statistics Quarterly""¹ Office for National Statistics (2007) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 2001-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33, 71-75.""² Office for National Statistics (2006) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 1999-2004. Health Statistics Quarterly 30, 56-60." "¹ Office for National Statistics (2007) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 2001-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33, 71-75.""² Office for National Statistics (2006) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 1999-2004. Health Statistics Quarterly 30, 56-60." "² Office for National Statistics (2006) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 1999-2004. Health Statistics Quarterly 30, 56-60."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

5601; 695 c150-1WA

Session

2006-07

Related items

Health: C. Difficile
Monday, 17 December 2007
Written questions
House of Lords

Subjects

Death Hospitals Disease control Infectious diseases Clostridium

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk