Minimising the risk of hospital acquired infections is of paramount importance to our Hospital. We have strict guidelines in place for patient screening and surveillance, ongoing staff training in hospital hygiene as well as the use of advanced cleaning techniques. The Hospital is supported by an Infection Control Team who ensure we maintain these high standards continuously.
It is standard policy at the Hospital to screen all patients for MRSA - Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus - on admission. MRSA is an organism which can be present on the skin or within the nasal passages of healthy individuals. It is relatively uncommon, however it can present problems, for example with wound healing if not strictly monitored, isolated and controlled. Patients found to be carrying MRSA are administered the appropriate antibiotics by the Infection Control Team - consisting of a specially trained nurse and skilled microbiologists.
The Hospital fully complies with National Guidelines and Protocols issued from the Department of Health and the National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence for the prevention and control of infection.
Infection rates at King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes
To date, King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes has had zero incidences of hospital acquired MRSA and C-difficile. Factors that contribute to our high quality record include:
Individual rooms with private en-suite facilities for almost all patients before and after any treatment or operation, unless the specialist resources of high dependency or intensive care are necessary.
High nurse to patient ratios, increasing the time available for individual attention and ensuring the highest quality of care and hygiene.
On-site cleaning staff who work to high specifications of hygiene and cleanliness, available 24 hours every day to respond to any need that may arise.
A rapid and comprehensive room cleaning regime between the discharge of one patient and the admission of the next.
Where possible, single use disposable equipment is used. In other circumstances, equipment is decontaminated following agreed National Protocols. The decontamination process involves cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation of equipment. All stages of the process are performed by highly skilled personnel and are subject to ongoing review by our expert advisors.
What is MRSA? Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
Staphylococcus Aureus is an organism commonly found on the skin and in the nose of healthy people. At any one time approximately 30% of us are carrying this bacterium and the population affected is continually changing. MRSA is a much less common variant which is resistant to Penicillin and Cephalosporin antibiotics commonly used to treat sensitive strains. However, there are many other antibiotics readily available to treat MRSA infection. These organisms may also be transiently present on the skin without causing infection. However, like sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus, on occasion these organisms can cause infection and rarely blood infection or septicaemia.
What is Clostridium Difficile?
Clostridium Difficile is an anaerobic bacterium that is present in the gut of up to 3% of healthy adults and 66% of infants. However, Clostridium Difficile rarely causes problems in children or healthy adults as it is kept well in check by the normal bacterial population of the intestine.
When certain antibiotics disturb the balance of the bacteria in the gut Clostridium Difficile can multiply rapidly and produce toxins which cause illness.
Clostridium Difficile infection ranges form mild to severe diarrhoea to, more unusually, severe inflammation of the bowel (know as pseudomembranous colitis). People who have been treated with broad spectrum antibiotics (those that affect a wide range of bacteria), people with underlying illnesses and the elderly are at greatest risk - over 80% of Clostridium Difficile infections reported are in people aged over 65 years.
Clostridium Difficile infection is usually spread on the hands of healthcare staff and other individuals who come into contact with infected patients or with environmental surfaces (e.g. floors, bedpans, toilets) contaminated with the bacteria or its spores. Spores are produced when Clostridium Difficile bacteria encounter unfavourable conditions, such as being outside the body. They are very hardy and can survive on clothes and environmental surfaces for long periods.
