MRSA victims’ group questions study methods

AN MRSA victim advocacy group has questioned the methods being used by the Hospital Infection Society (HIS) to measure MRSA levels in the first extensive study of hospital infection in this country.

The HIS is this week due to begin the study, in conjunction with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), aimed at establishing levels of MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections in 43 of the country’s acute hospitals.

A hospital-acquired infection is a disease picked up by a patient within 24 hours of going into hospital, and includes MRSA, clostridium difficile and the vomiting bug, norovirus.

Levels of infection will be measured using the ‘point prevalence’ system, which gives a snapshot of the number of people in an institution who have the disease over a particular period.

However, victims’ group MRSA and Families chairwoman Margaret Dawson said the testing methods were “inadequate” and that blood-testing should be used.

According to the HIS, patient case notes, nursing notes and drug charts will be used to record the extent of the infection over a 24-hour period. Blood tests and x-rays will not be taken.

“This isn’t acceptable as most patient charts don’t record MRSA. I think it’s vital that blood-testing is carried out if we’re to work out the full extent of MRSA in our hospitals,” she said.

MRSA and Families has long called for all patients to be screened for MRSA before they enter hospital.

A screened patient could test positive for MRSA colonisation but it does not mean they are ill - just that the infection is present on their skin.

The HIS study won’t count colonisation - just those who have a post-operative wound which is infected and caused them to be clinically unwell.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Mary Harney has told the Medical Council that she is considering establishing a hospitals inspectorate.

This follows the publication of the Lourdes Report into caesarean hysterectomy rates at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, where a lack of clinical governance was blamed for the extraordinarily high rates.

It’s believed the inspectorate, details of which are yet to be worked out, could work in tandem with the Competence Assurance scheme aimed at ensuring the continued supervision of doctors during their careers.