ABOUT US
QUALITY AND STANDARDS
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MRSA rates in our private hospitals remain nearly six times lower than those of the NHS in London
This can in part be attributed to our policy of screening all patients who are being admitted. This means that there is early identification of those who carry MRSA (an event which is endemic in any patient population) and staff are able to adopt appropriate precautions to ensure that an MRSA eradication programme is administered if necessary.
In addition patients are treated in single rooms which are rigorously cleaned between occupants to ensure that the risk of transfer is minimised.
We also adopt a stringent hand washing policy across our hospitals and everyone, from porters to doctors as well as patient visitors, are required to use the antibacterial hand gel which is available outside all patient rooms.
The graph shows the number of MRSA bacteraemia cases per 10,000 bed days in HCA Hospitals during the whole of 2007 compared with the most recent publicly available figures for the NHS (for six month period ending in September 2007)
Very low risk of C. Difficile infection in our private hospitals in London
Clostridium Difficile is also carefully monitored in our hospitals and HCA has a rigorous approach to protecting our patients against an outbreak of C.Difficile. This policy, which is based on good nursing management and monitoring of vulnerable patients, has been adopted across all our hospitals. It includes:
- All our staff are trained to immediately spot antibiotic induced diarrhoea.
- Isolation of patients with symptoms
- Hand washing with soap and water (alcohol gels are ineffective against C. Difficile)
- Close adherence to antibiotic prescribing policies (HCA Hospitals provide consultant-led patient care in which antibiotic usage is carefully monitored by the consultants and by our pharmacies
- Maintaining a high standard of cleanliness (In HCA hospitals rigorous cleaning of patient rooms takes place in line with national guidelines using detergent and chlorine
- Ensuring that all staff comply with the policy
Although it isn't possible to eradicate C.Difficile completely, this policy ensures that the risks to our patients are kept to an absolute minimum.
What is C.Difficile?
C.Difficile is a bacterium which is relatively common and is usually harmless. It is also more likely to occur in patients who have recently been given antibiotics or who have undergone surgery or chemotherapy. It is also more common in the over 65s. This is because these treatments upset the natural gut ‘flora', which means foreign bacteria are more likely to take hold. A symptom is diarrhoea, which in severe cases can result in infection of the bowel – a serious condition.
Good nursing management and monitoring of vulnerable patients helps to reduce the possibility of them contracting a C. Difficile infection. However, individual isolated cases are extremely difficult to avoid in vulnerable patients.
In the event that a patient does develop C.Difficile, it is important to contain the source of infection and prevent an outbreak to avoid further patients becoming ill.
Please note, we never turn away a patient who already has MRSA or C.Difficile, including patients transferred to us from other hospitals becasue of our intensive care and other specialist facilities.
