• Healthcare Commission report on healthcare-associated infection

Healthcare Commission report on healthcare-associated infection

The Healthcare Commission has recently published the results of a national study into healthcare-associated infection that outlines practical advice for Trusts to help in their attempts to reduce rates of infection. The report emphasises that while the boards of Trusts have to balance a range of priorities, the safety of patients is foremost among them.

The report was prepared in response to a request from the Chief Medical Officer for England, asking the Commission to examine the factors associated with reducing rates of infection. The Commission undertook a voluntary survey of acute NHS trusts to bring together information on how trusts were dealing with prevention and control of infection in May 2006, before the introduction of the Government's Hygiene Code in October 2006.  The survey was completed at 155 out of 173 acute trusts in England. Analysis to identify any significant relationships between information from the survey and data on rates of infection was carried out. Findings from inspections to check on compliance with the Hygiene Code, including the early emerging results from the programme of 120 inspections of Trusts were also considered.

Trusts were likely to have lower rates of Clostridium difficile-associated disease if they had designated members of staff, working in a number of clinical areas to link management with staff at the frontline and to ensure policies are put into practice on the wards. At the time of the survey, 86% of trusts had ‘link practitioners' in at least half of their clinical areas and 23% had them in all areas. However, 45% of trusts said that they had difficulties in reconciling the management of healthcare-associated infection with the target for treating patients in accident and emergency departments. Twenty-nine per cent of trusts cited difficulties in reconciling control of infection and targets for waiting lists.

The Healthcare Commission is the health watchdog in England. It keeps check on health services to ensure that they are meeting standards in a range of areas. The Commission also promotes improvements in the quality of healthcare and public health in England through independent, authoritative, patient-centred assessments of those who provide services. 

The report is part of the Commission's focus on healthcare-associated infection.  In June 2007 it began a programme of unannounced visits to 120 NHS Trusts. Reports on each visit will be published on the Commission's website < http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk>.

The full report, Healthcare associated infection: what else can the NHS do? can be found on the healthcare commission website at <http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases.cfm/cit_id/5580/FAArea1
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