Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual total of recorded incidents of MRSA in England and Wales for each year since 1992 in(a) hospitals, (b) nursing homes and (c) other locations. [8029]
§ Mr. HoramData are not available in the form requested.
The public health laboratory service publishes aggregate data on the occurrence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus from isolates voluntarily submitted by hospitals in England and Wales for specialist typing. The total numbers of incidents—three or more patients with the same strain of MRSA in a month from the same hospitals—since 1992 are as follows:
- 1992: 339
- 1993: 549
- 1994: 1.073
- 1995: 1,575
- 19961: 1,764
1 to 31 October.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many fatalities have been recorded as due to MRSA in each year since 1990. [8031]
§ Mr. HoramI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr Flynn) on 19 November at columns532–33.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the threat of MRSA in hospitals; and what precautions are taken against its spread. [8032]
§ Mr. HoramMethicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is no more likely to cause infection and no worse infection than methicillin-sensitive strains of the organism. Because, however, MRSA is more difficult to treat, it can pose a threat to certain vulnerable patients. Most experts therefore believe efforts to prevent its spread are worth while.
All hospitals have specialist infection control teams whose function is to advise on the precautions necessary, in the individual circumstances of each hospital and according to the type of patient, to prevent the spread of infection. The Department issued guidance to the national health service in September 1994 on the control of MRSA and in March 1995 on the general control of infections in hospitals, copies of which are available in the Library.
231W
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on research into MRSA in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [8237]
§ Mr. MaloneThe main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The council is an independent body which receives its grant in aid from the Department of Trade and Industry. The council does not currently fund any research specifically into methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. However, the council does have a portfolio of research on staphylococcal bacteria in general, which underpins research into MRSA. This amounted to £200,000 in 1994–95 and £144,000 in 1995–96.
In addition, two research projects have been funded at regional level, amounting to £47,706 in total.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents of MRSA in 1995 occurred in(a) geriatric wards, (b) intensive care, (c) surgical wards, (d) general medical wards and (e) other wards. [8034]
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlie the trend in reported incidents of MRSA in hospitals; and what evaluation he has made of the extent to which(a) standards of hygiene, (b) re-use of infected equipment and (c) patient turnover contribute to the spread of MRSA. [8037]
§ Mr. HoramThe trend in reported incidents of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus—three or more patients with the same strain of MRSA in a month from the same hospitals—reflects, in part, the emergence and spread, from the early 1990s, of two new strains of MRSA. Other factors include changes in medical practice, such as the transfer of more patients to specialist units in other hospitals.
Good personal hygiene, such as thorough hand washing, is important in preventing the spread of all types of infections, including those caused by MRSA. The Department has made no evaluation of re-use of equipment and patient throughput on the spread of MRSA. These are matters for individual trusts and health authorities to consider.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy in respect of the practice of sending home patients with MRSA in order to prevent its spread in hospital. [8038]
§ Mr. HoramThe Department issued guidance to the national health service in September 1994 on the control of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. MRSA does not pose a risk to healthy people.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents of MRSA were reported during 1995 in (a) each member state of the European Community and (b) the United States of America. [8039]
§ Mr. HoramWe are not aware of any other country which routinely compiles national data on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.