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Health Care-Associated Infections

Pseudomonas is a growing concern. We need to consider closely whether there needs to be mandatory reporting. Pseudomonas particularly affects people with burns and those who are very ill with specific diseases. It is a growing problem that we need to ensure receives adequate attention. The risk of getting MRSA or C. difficile is low. Last year, there were just under 56,000 C. difficile infections and 7,000 MRSA bloodstream infections in our hospitals. That is still too many, but it has to be seen in the context of a health service that deals with 1 million people every 36 hours. The Government have introduced a range of measures to improve cleanliness and tackle infections. In 2001, we became the first country in the world to introduce mandatory surveillance of MRSA. We built on that in 2004, with the introduction of C. difficile surveillance for those aged 65 and over, the most vulnerable group of patients. In 2005, we enhanced the surveillance system for MRSA and earlier this year we extended C. difficile surveillance to every patient over two years of age.