Written question asked by David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Thursday, 28 February 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 3 March 2008. It was answered by Ann Keen (Labour) on Monday, 10 March 2008 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of cases of (a) MRSA and (b) C. difficile infection in (i) England and (ii) each English region resulted in death in each of the last three years.

Answer: The requested information on the percentage of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) cases which lead to death is not available as the surveillance system does not record outcomes.The total number of reports of C. difficile infection and MRSA bacteraemia for England are collected via the mandatory surveillance system operated for the Department by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). This information is available in the Library and also on the HPA website at:"www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/Mandatory_ Results.htm"The Office for National Statistics publishes analyses of deaths in England and Wales where MRSA or C. difficile is mentioned on the death certificate but these data do not indicate if the infection was acquired in hospital or elsewhere. The most recent data is published in ““Health Statistics Quarterly 37”” spring 2008:"www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/HSQ37.pdf"

Secondary information