New statistics have today revealed that the amount of recorded MRSA cases has decreased by as much as 13 per cent in the last three months - and overall by 33 per cent compared to this time last year.
Records form the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that from July to September there were only 725 incidents - 13 per cent less than the quarter before that where there were 837 reported cases.
In addition, the figures show that in the same period last year in 2007, there were 1,082 incidents recorded - that is 33 per cent more than in the latest quarter.
The HPA’s director of the centre for infections, Professor Mike Catchpole, said, “This continued reduction in cases of MRSA is testament to the huge efforts being made across the NHS to tackle the problem of healthcare-associated infections, which remain a big challenge throughout the world.
“To ensure this downward trend continues, we cannot be complacent. We must all play our part - the public and healthcare workers - by ensuring the infection control measures that have made the current fight against MRSA so successful remain in place.”
Chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, Anne Walker commented, “This is big news for patients and a huge credit to all NHS staff.
“The sustained reductions show that the NHS is coming to grips with MRSA - it must not lose the momentum.
“We are clear NHS trusts are taking infection prevention and control very seriously.
“This has played a key role in the decline in MRSA rates.
“We have seen from our inspections and assessments that many trusts still have gaps in their systems that need closing. To keep rates going down, trusts must ensure their systems protect every patient, every time.
“This applies to all healthcare-associated infections, not just MRSA.
“We are demanding a high standard of infection control from trusts. This is what patients expect and are entitled to.”
