Call for hygiene tzar to tackle hospital super bugs

A national ’hygiene tzar’ is needed to clean up hospitals and stop patients picking up infections like MRSA, an Oireachtas Committee heard today.

Officials from the Health Department and Health Service Executive today discussed the issue with the Oireachtas Health Committee.

Committee chairman John Moloney said an overall hygiene tzar may be needed to enforce high standards in all hospitals.

He added: “Until we see that happen we’re not convinced we’re making any progress.”

Health Department officials said effective infection control measures, including environmental cleanliness and hand hygiene, were central to the control of hospital-acquired infections like MRSA.

But Clare TD James Breen, who contracted MRSA in a GP’s surgery, said the time for statistics and reports was over and urgent action was needed.

“Merciful God, people’s lives have been destroyed. Some families weren’t even told their loved ones contracted the bug. We don’t want fancy paperwork anymore.”

Senator Geraldine Feeney called for greater supervision of hospital cleaners, who were often part-time and lacked diligence.

“We still have dirty bathrooms, bins overflowing for several days and blood spattered on walls.”

“Ordinary people don’t seem to see any changes in hygiene,” she said.

Dr Mary Hynes of the National Hospitals Office said that three of the top five hospitals in last year’s hygiene audit used contract cleaners.

She added: “Hygiene is a battle, day in, day out. We’re not going to fix it this year but things are improving with more audits and checks.”

Dr Hynes warned that all cleaning staff must be properly trained and understand the importance of their jobs.

Mayo TD Beverly Cooper-Flynn observed that cleaners didn’t get down on their knees and scrub floors and corridors anymore.

Victims’ support group, MRSA and Families believes 10 people died from the bug in the last year and has called for a national database of infections to determine its extent.

MRSA or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is commonly found on the skin but can be fatal if it gets into the bloodstream.

Dr Kevin Kelleher of the HSE’s Population Health Directorate today said that extra antibiotic pharmacists and infection control nurses will be appointed this year in a five-million euro programme to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired bugs.

The HSE is maintaining regular contact with the MRSA And Families group on an ongoing basis, he added.

“A joint study on hospital infections with the UK is being carried out in coming months.

“The findings of this survey will inform local infection control programs and future surveillance initiatives. It will also help set priorities in the development of strategy and policy.” he added.