Bug levels fail to meet target
One in four NHS trusts - including the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust - is failing to hit targets aimed at tackling bugs like MRSA, it was revealed today. One in four NHS trusts - including the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust - is failing to hit targets aimed at tackling bugs like MRSA, it was revealed today. Today's report, issued by the Commission, is based on trusts self-reporting on whether they meet a set of 24 core Government standards on care. The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital which runs the Royal Shrewsbury and Telford's Princess Royal, has declared that it is compliant with 23 of these. But it could not declare compliance with the standard for healthcare acquired infections. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
A report shows fewer trusts than last year can show they maintain standards on cleanliness and hygiene, despite a Government drive to get the message across.
The news comes just weeks after the Healthcare Commission warned that hospitals will be served with "improvement notices" if they fail to tackle bugs.
Today's report, issued by the Commission, is based on trusts self-reporting on whether they meet a set of 24 core Government standards on care.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital which runs the Royal Shrewsbury and Telford's Princess Royal, has declared that it is compliant with 23 of these.
But it could not declare compliance with the standard for healthcare acquired infections since it had not met the local target for reducing MRSA during 2006/07 even though its rates are lower than the national average.
The trust's target was to have no more than 34 MRSA bloodstream cases - on which hospitals are judged - but the final figure was found to be 47.
Chief executive, Tom Taylor, said today: "We know this is a big challenge for us and a big priority for patients. We do now a have robust action plan in place, which was signed at the last public board meeting, to tackle infections."
He recently warned it will be impossible for the trust to screen for MRSA every patient being admitted to the two hospitals as at least 57,000 tests would need to be carried out each year.
