New warning over killer 'superbug'

A new warning about the deadly superbug infecting hospitals is published today.

The official survey reveals the full extent of the problem caused by the potentially killer bacteria MRSA throughout Britain.

Astonishingly, four of the six worstperforming hospitals for rates of infection of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus are in London.

MRSA, which cannot be fought with traditional antibiotics, claims the lives of around 5,000 NHS patients a year in England.

The North Middlesex Hospital heads the league table for the proportion of patients contracting the bug in its wards.

In London the cost to the health service is an estimated £1.5 million a year for treating victims and around 1,000 cancelled operations due to beds being blocked. MRSA lengthens the amount of time a patient stays in hospital by an extra 14 days on average.

Last year there were 431 reported cases in the capital and London has higher rates than any other region. It is estimated that the figure will be as much as a third higher this year, after the Department of Health introduced mandatory reporting of all cases.

The figures, based on infections between April and September 2001, suggest that a patient being treated at North Middlesex is eight times more likely to pick up MRSA than at Homerton Hospital - which is ranked 115th in the table.

North Middlesex Hospital received one star out of a potential three in a rating system recently introduced by the Department of Health - partly due to failure to meet minimum cleanliness standards.

The Liberal Democrat health spokesman for London, Paul Burstow, who analysed the figures, said: "These result are just the tip of the iceberg. All hospital-acquired infections can result in as many as one in 12 patients being infected at any one time.

"NHS hospitals must ask themselves some searching questions about these results. There are still too many cases of poor cleaning and hygiene practice. Quite simply, poor standards are putting people's lives at risk."

Around 100,000 patients a year pick up infections in hospitals, according to research by the National Audit Office. It is thought that about 15 per cent of cases could be prevented.

Mike Stone, director of the Patients' Association, said: "Patients are very concerned about going into hospital for routine treatment and picking up something which is not conducive to good health, or not coming out at all.

"A lot of this does come down to basic standards of hygiene, like hand washing. This is not rocket science. Hospitals are under pressure, but there is also evidence that doctors and nurses are not washing their hands as often as they should do." Guy's and St Thomas' trust has the second-worst record in the country among specialist hospitals and the poorest in the capital.

The hospital recorded 91 cases of MRSA between April and December last year. A spokesman said: "The trust is disappointed by its relative performance in preventing MRSA and will be redoubling its efforts to minimise hospital-acquired infection and to identify those carrying infection when they are admitted."

Professor Gary French, head of infection control at the trust, said: "Our screening shows that 40 per cent of our cases acquired the infection before the patient was admitted to our beds."

The trust is currently recruiting two new infection control nurses.

Dr Yasmin Drabu, medical director at North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust, said: "The trust does take infection control matters very seriously and has a number of measures in place. This includes making alcohol hand-rubs available by bedsides for patients and visitors who are reminded about the importance of washing their hands."