Redbridge’s hospital trust has reduced the number of recorded cases of super bug MRSA infections by 74 per cent since records began – but missed last year’s target.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospital trust, which runs King George Hospital, Goodmayes, says it is appealing last year’s figure, which followed a change to guidelines set by the Department of Health.
In 2010/11, there were 30 recorded cases of the hospital super bug recorded on trust premises, down from 116 in 2003/04.
A trust spokesman said: “We have had great success in reducing our healthcare acquired infections over the past few years. The trust has won awards for its work in cutting the number of cases of MRSA and Clostridium difficile, and has stringent infection control procedures in place. “The targets set by the Department of Health changed in 2010/11 and now concentrate on bacteraemias (bacteria in the blood) contracted after 48 hours in hospital.
“Although the trust continued to reduce MRSA cases last year, it missed the new target. However, the trust is appealing the figure recorded and continues to work to reduce cases yet further.”
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