Disclosure of infections and mandatory surveillance championed in this country has been the key in reducing healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) Chief Nursing Officer Dame Christine Beasley told a gathering of world experts on infection.
She claimed that England now has the most sophisticated system in the world for monitoring MRSA and C. difficile and this has helped reduce MRSA bloodstream infections by over 70% and C. difficile infections by over 30%.
Speaking at a Department of Health conference in London attended by international experts on hospital infections, Dame Christine said: “Tackling healthcare-associated infections is a challenge for health services all around the world. That is why we have invited the leading experts from across the European Union and the World Health Organisation to both learn from them and to showcase the success of our mandatory surveillance and disclosure of infections systems.
“Surveillance is vital to driving down infections. Publishing this information on the NHS Choices website empowers patients to vote with their feet if a hospital is under performing and enables the NHS to take appropriate action.”
Health Minister Ann Keen said: “The whole of the NHS should take enormous credit for rising to the challenge of infections. NHS staff responded to the brave step of being completely open on healthcare associated infections and their hard work has made hospitals cleaner and safer for patients.”
Hospital cleanliness and low infection rates are selected most often (by 74% of patients) as an important factor when choosing a hospital.
