MRSA at Bedford Hospital Still Too High

3.41.19pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 19th Oct 2007

The Bedford Hospital Trust's Annual Healthcheck 2006/07 from the Healthcare Commission has shown that it has under-achieved in its target for year on year reductions in MRSA levels.

The target was 16 cases but there was actually 27 MRSA cases in 2006/7.

Lib Dem Group Leader, Michael Headley said "The number of MRSA cases is far too high. It's right to say that of the 27 cases some were patients who had acquired the infection in the community, but 14 patients were believed to have acquired the infection in the hospital."

"With over 55% of similar trusts failing or under-achieving in this area it shows there is much more to do nationwide not just in Bedford. Hospitals have for too long been put under pressure to prioritise meeting government targets over essential basics such as good hygiene. When nurses are overworked and wards are filled to bursting point, infections can easily spread further with dreadful consequences."