Survey’s accuracy challenged as six hospitals given MRSA all-clear

THE accuracy of a survey which gave a clean bill of health to six hospitals, claiming no patients had hospital-acquired infections, has been challenged by patients and politicians.

The National Healthcare Acquired Infection (HCAI) Survey found a zero rate of HCAI infection in patients surveyed at St John’s Hospital in Limerick, the Galway Clinic, Holles St National Maternity Hospital, the Regional Maternity Hospital in Limerick, the Midwestern Regional Orthopaedic Hospital in Croom, Co Limerick and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin.

Moreover, the hospital which the survey found had the highest rate of HCAI infection — the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) in Cork — ranked second-highest in a national hygiene audit in November 2006.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) study of over 7,500 patients in 44 acute hospitals found an overall figure of MRSA infection — a potentially fatal HCAI — of under 0.5%, significantly lower than the British level of 1.5%

However Margaret Dawson of MRSA and Families said she doubted the accuracy of the findings and did not believe any hospital could claim a zero rate of infection.

“There is no legislation for the hospitals to give the figures on a monthly, two- monthly or any other basis,” she said.

“I don’t know how we are going to get the correct figures. They are scattered; they are all over the place.

“All I know from the families contacting me is that the percentage of people with MRSA is very, very high. I don’t think the HSE or Department of Health know the true extent.”

Two Cork hospitals ranked bottom of the HCAI league table have strongly challenged the survey findings.

A statement issued by the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) — which had a HCAI infection rate of 10.3% — said its challenge was on the basis that hospitals with the most comprehensive testing regimes and microbiological expertise fared worst.

“It is clear to us that hospitals with active and effective screening and diagnosis processes such as Mercy University Hospital will have higher figures,” the statement said.

MUH, second from the bottom in the HCAI league table, also said the numbers reported in the study did not indicate the incidence of infection but merely the number which were actually found.

The SIVUH said it believed the statistical basis of the survey was flawed and it re-iterated the claim that hospitals with the most comprehensive testing regimes fared worse.

It pointed out that in the most recent national hygiene audit, the hospital received a score of 94%, the second-highest in the country. It was given a HCAI rate of 13.3%, the worst in the country.

The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, incorporating the National Children’s Hospital in Tallaght, had the highest HCAI infection rate in Dublin of 8.2%. However a statement from the hospital said because it was a tertiary referral hospital, it dealt with “both more complex therapeutic procedures and higher-risk patients and as a consequence of this will have higher rates of HCAI”.

Labour health spokesperson Liz McManus said the HSE battle to conquer HCAI focused on hand hygiene and reduced antibiotics but “consistently ignored overcrowding”, central to infection control.

The Irish Patients’ Association (IPA) said patients were now afraid to go into hospital for fear of picking up infection.

Spokesperson Stephen McMahon said: “We would encourage any patients concerned about any aspects of hygiene in their hospitals to raise it with the appropriate authorities.” He said they welcomed the HSE decision to set up a infection control steering group to take charge of reducing HCAI.

Fine Gael health spokesperson Dr Liam Twomey said the survey showed no reduction in levels of MRSA infection.

A spokesperson for the HSE said they stood over the veracity of their study: “It is the most detailed ever undertaken in Irish hospitals. The only argument we are interested in is how to tackle the rate of HCAI in hospitals and how to achieve significant reductions in infection.”

Health Minister Mary Harney said there was no room for complacency and, while HCAI rates in Ireland were at the lower end of the European scale, “Ireland has high rates of MRSA infection when compared to countries such as the Netherlands because of our high anti-biotic consumption. There is, therefore, work to be done in bringing our HCAI rates down to best international levels”.