Raising the bar in infection control

The Federation of Infection Societies aims to help healthcare professionals raise the bar in infection control by adding to their knowledge, encouraging debate and expanding their skills at the Infection 2009 conference and exhibition.

 Earlier this year, a report by the National Audit Office1 pointed out that the Department of Health (DH) had met its target to reduce MRSA bloodstream infections by 50%, by 2008, and was achieving encouraging progress towards its target to reduce Clostridium difficile infections. MRSA had been reduced by 57% by the end of March 2008 and C. difficile by 41%. Since the introduction of targets to reduce MRSA and C. difficile, the DH has spent some £120 million on central initiatives tackling healthcare-associated infections. There have also been unquantifiable administrative costs and local expenditure on the drive to reduce infection rates. These central initiatives, together with action at Trust level, have led to savings on treatment of between £141 million and £263 million, as well as reducing discomfort, disability and, for some, death that might have been caused by these avoidable infections. However, in the same report, the NAO pointed out that bloodstream infections, due to other causes, may be increasing and added that there is no national data that captures information on some of the most common healthcare-associated infections – such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia. The report highlighted a wide range of issues that must be addressed to improve safety and warned against complacency. For example, while a quarter of Trusts reduced MRSA by more than 80%, in 12% of Trusts there was an increase in MRSA infections. Twenty-nine per cent of Trusts have reduced C. difficile by more than 50%, but in 19% of hospital Trusts the numbers of C. difficile infections have increased. Although there has been a perceptible change in Trust leadership on infections, in response to the challenges of reducing infection rates, the impact has not been the same in all Trusts or – as far as the data from voluntary reporting shows – for other infections. The NAO went on to point out that, following the DH’s intervention to improve recording on death certificates where MRSA or C. difficile was the underlying cause or a contributory factor, in 2007 around 9,000 people were reported by the Office for National Statistics as having died in such circumstances. There is still no national information on deaths from other healthcareassociated infections, however. Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said that the organisation had identified a number of key problems such as: a lack of robust comparable data on other infection risks; increases in antibiotic resistance and poor data on hospital prescribing; while compliance with good practice is still not universal. Commenting on the report, Dr Peter Carter, RCN chief executive and general secretary, said: “Despite an overall fall in infection rates, a minority of Trusts have seen infection rates rise, giving a clear warning that more needs to be done,” adding that healthcare staff “need to recognise that fighting infection is about much more than just hand washing.” “It is about keeping every part of the patient environment, and every piece of equipment, clean all of the time – because infections like MRSA and C. difficile still pose a very serious threat. Good leadership is needed to foster a culture where excellent infection control is second nature to all health workers,” he continued. The report – combined with the responses that followed from key healthcare organisations, as well as coverage by the national press – served as a reminder that healthcare professionals must constantly review their processes and protocols to sustain and improve performance across all areas of infection prevention and control. Sir Richard Sykes, chair of NHS London, is encouraging academic heads of department, chief executives, infection control specialists, microbiologists, infectious disease physicians, surgeons, intensive care physicians, trainees or students to learn and work together in these challenging times. As conference president, for Infection 2009, he is calling on all those with responsibility for infection detection, prevention and management to add to the debate, share their knowledge and exchange innovative ideas on quality improvement at the forthcoming event. The Federation of Infection Societies is hosting the Infection 2009 conference and exhibition from 11-13 November 2009 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham. The meeting will address all aspects of infection prevention, infectious disease and clinical microbiology, with a robust scientific programme that addresses current challenges and developments in opportunistic infections, zoonotics, antimicrobial resistance, emerging diseases, global public health issues, as well as new and emerging technologies. Topical sessions range from: “Animal Infections and Human Health” and “Epidemics and Pandemics”; to “Turning the Tide on Resistance” and “Hospital Design and Infection Control”. There are also half-day student mini-courses for surgical trainees, industry symposia and clinical lessons.

Scientific programme