Plagues,
Pestilences and Diseases
UK: Hospital super bugs hit an all-time high: Number of
patients picking up life-threatening infections has doubled
in two years
'Extremely concerning' rise from 22,488 to 42,712 cases in 24
months
Poor hygiene on the wards thought to be behind the increase
Many affected are elderly, reducing chances of recovery from
illness or surgery
By Daniel Martin
Last updated at 9:02 AM on 29th December 2011
The Daily Mail UK
A record number of patients picked up life-threatening infections
in NHS hospitals last year, alarming figures show.
Poor hygiene on the wards has resulted in those with
hospital-acquired infections doubling from 22,488 to 42,712 in
just two years.
Most of those affected are elderly, meaning their chances of
recovering from the surgery or serious illness they were being
treated for in the first place are drastically reduced. The
average age of patients battling hospital bugs is 76.
At risk: Most of those affected are elderly, meaning their chances
of recovering from the surgery or serious illness they were being
treated for in the first place are drastically reduced
At risk: Most of those affected are elderly, meaning their chances
of recovering from the surgery or serious illness they were being
treated for in the first place are drastically reduced
'Not complacent': Health minister Simon Burns said significant
progress had been made on more serious infections
Worrying: Michell Mitchell, head of Age UK, said the increasing
trend of hospital acquired infections was 'extremely concerning'
'Not complacent': Health minister Simon Burns said significant
progress had been made, while Michell Mitchell, head of Age UK,
said the increasing trend of hospital acquired infections was
'extremely concerning'
The figures, from the NHS Information Centre, cover all hospital
infections including superbugs MRSA and C.difficile and other
dangerous illnesses such as norovirus and E.coli. Experts say that
while efforts to eradicate the superbugs have had some success,
the other avoidable bugs are on the rise.
Only today the Health Protection Agency announced there have been
46 outbreaks of suspected norovirus in hospitals over the past two
weeks, with more than half leading to ward closures or
restrictions. Since the beginning of October, there have been 244
confirmed outbreaks.
Infection experts warned that some of the diseases are becoming
‘hyper-resistant’ to antibiotics. Critics say that while trusts
are getting to grips with familiar superbugs, other infections are
slipping under the radar because figures on their prevalence do
not need to be submitted to the Department of Health for scrutiny.
The sharp rise in the numbers suffering from hospital infections
is mirrored by a similar spike in the compensation the NHS is
paying to such patients which reached a record £6million last
year.
In vain? Hospitals have tried to make wards cleaner by providing
handwash and making patients and visitors more aware of the need
for hygiene
In vain? Hospitals have tried to make wards cleaner by providing
handwash and making patients and visitors more aware of the need
for hygiene
Hospitals have tried to make wards cleaner by introducing handwash
and encouraging patients and visitors to be more aware of the need
to be hygienic. Such efforts, however, appear to be in vain.
According to data submitted by hospitals to the NHS Information
Centre, in 2010/11, there were 42,712 cases in which a hospital
consultant recorded a patient’s illness as being a ‘nosocomial
condition’ – that is an infection picked up in a hospital or
medical environment.
It is the highest rate in the 13 years for which records are
publicly available. In 1998/99 it was just 335.
This year’s figure is up 36 per cent on the 31,447 recorded in
2009/10 and almost double the 22,488 of 2008/09.
Hospital-acquired infections lead to extended stays in hospital of
around one month.
Last year patients battling these conditions took up almost
800,000 NHS bed nights and equated to 2,200 beds on a daily
basis.
Joyce Robins, co-director of Patient Concern said: ‘This is a
terrifying prospect for vulnerable elderly people who think they
are going into hospital to get better.
‘It contrasts sharply with the happy propaganda that has been
telling us that infection rates had dropped sharply. It is
shocking that there seems to be no effective way of motivating
hospital managers to stop this appalling waste of money when they
are laying off front line staff to cut budgets.’
Earlier this month it emerged that 38 trusts had been affected by
outbreaks of norovirus, with many having to close wards. Almost
800 patients were affected.
In the last year, compensation payments to the victims of
hospital-acquired infections reached record levels and almost
trebled from the previous year’s figure to more than £6million.
When the legal costs associated with the cases are added in, the
total bill to the NHS came to more than £10million.
'Hyper-resistant': Experts say that while efforts to eradicate the
superbugs, such as MRSA (pictured), have had some success, the
other avoidable bugs are on the rise
'Hyper-resistant': Experts say that while efforts to eradicate the
superbugs, such as MRSA (pictured), have had some success, the
other avoidable bugs are on the rise
It means around £30,000 every day is drained out of the NHS budget
to pay for the claims of those who pick up life-threatening
infections while in hospital, often for routine treatments.
The NHS figures do not break the infections down by type, but
along with MRSA and C. diff they are expected to include
norovirus, E coli, various urinary tract infections and conditions
such as pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterial infection that can
attack everything from organs to soft tissue.
Epidemiologist Dr Mark Enright, of London’s Imperial College,
said: ‘MRSA and C. diff have largely been controlled, because
hospitals can get into quite a lot of trouble because they have to
report to health authorities.
‘But there are other organisms which are resistant to antibiotics,
such as pseudomonas aeruginosa. These are present in the
environment but can be dangerous in hospitals, affecting people
with depressed immune systems.
'This increasing trend of hospital-acquired infections is
extremely concerning'
‘It can be very difficult to stop them spreading all over
hospitals. If you are a nurse on a busy ward at night you can’t
always change gloves between patients so you will always get a
measure of bacteria transmission.’
Michelle Mitchell, charity director of Age UK, said: ‘This
increasing trend of hospital acquired infections is extremely
concerning. People over the age of 60 are 88 per cent more likely
to acquire these infections.
‘This can be extremely distressing for older patients and their
families, and can have a detrimental effect on their recovery.’
A Department of Health spokesperson said: 'These figures are
misleading. The NHS has got better and better at tackling hospital
infections, demonstrated by the record lows we have seen this
year.
'Because we are not complacent, we have introduced mandatory
reporting of more hospital infections. That means that we have
shone a light on the problems previously swept under the carpet.
But patients should be confident that the measures we have taken
will continue the downward trend in hospital infections.'