Superbug death rates revealed

5:04pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

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The number of deaths involving two deadly superbugs which occurred in the district's hospitals, hospices and nursing homes have been revealed for the first time.

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics, show where people who had either MRSA or C difficle died between 2001 and 2005 and 2002 and 2006.

The report, published yesterday, contains data for establishments in England and Wales which had a total of more than 2,500 deaths from all causes in both periods.

Two more tables show the number of deaths in which C-difficile and MRSA was a factor across all communal establishments, such as hospitals, hospices and nursing homes.

They do not represent deaths from C diff or MRSA but show only that it was mentioned on the death certificate. Nor do they show where the infection was picked up.

The figures show that at Airedale General Hospital, at Steeton near Keighley, C difficile was mentioned on the death certificates of 41 patients, at Bradford Royal Infirmary the figure was 13 and at St Luke's Hospital it was also 13. Leeds Road Hospital, the Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice in Oxenhope and several local nursing homes also recorded deaths where C difficile was mentioned on death certificates.

Over the same time period Airedale Hospital recorded six deaths where MRSA was involved, Bradford Royal Infirmary recorded 25 and St Luke's Hospital recorded eight.

Shipley Hospital recorded two deaths in 2005 where MRSA was a factor. Several care homes in the district are also listed as places where residents died and MRSA was involved.

Peter Dickson, medical director for Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust (tPCT), said: "We welcome anything that helps us to better understand the incidence of MRSA and C difficile.

"The tPCT is working closely with all the organisations which provide our services, to manage such infections and further improve patient care and safety."

Bridget Fletcher, director of nursing at Airedale NHS Trust, says: "It is important to understand that all the patients who sadly died did have significant co-morbidities and although mentioned on the death certificate, MRSA was not necessarily the major cause.

"Cleanliness and patient safety is an absolute priority and we have made a significant achievement in recent years in reducing the numbers of MRSA cases by increasing our infection control measures and learning from every instance of infection to prevent it recurring.

"This year we have undergone a deep clean of all wards and departments and have also appointed a new matron for infection prevention."

A spokesman for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "The fight against infection is a key priority for everyone working at our hospitals. We are continually launching new measures to minimise the spread of infection among patients, visitors and staff wherever possible."

The report - Deaths involving MRSA and Clostridium difficile by communal establishment: England and Wales 2001-106 - is available on the Office for National Statistics website at statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Produce.asp?vlnk=13571