HC Deb 06 March 1997 vol 291 cc739-40W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which hospitals in Essex have reported cases of MRSA in the past 12 months; how many cases there were in each hospital; and in how many cases MRSA contributed to or caused death; [18990]

(2) how many hospitals have reported cases of MRSA in England in the past 12 months; how many cases there were in total; and in how many cases MRSA was the cause of or contributed to death. [18995]

Mr. Horam

Information on the total number of cases of infection or colonisation with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is not collected centrally. Some health authorities monitor the occurrence of MRSA, but these are likely to be subject to local variations in the type of data collected and the methods of collection used.

Data on the occurrence of MRSA, compiled by the public health laboratory service, are derived from isolates submitted voluntarily by hospitals in England and Wales for typing. These show that 177 hospitals in England reported incidents of MRSA affecting a total of 19,385 patients in 1996. Similarly, data held by the PHLS for 1996 show that three hospitals in Essex reported incidents of MRSA affecting 88, 59 and 15 patients respectively. An incident is defined as three or more patients with the same strain of MRSA in a month from the same hospital. It is not know in how many cases MRSA contributed to or caused death.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in making available the MRSA combating drug developed by the team headed by Professor Brian Austin at Heriot-Watt university; and if he will make a statement. [18994]

Mr. Horam

We understand that Professor Austen's work is at a very early stage.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital screen patients for MRSA on admission. [18988]

Mr. Horam

The information requested is not held centrally.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to prevent the spread of MRSA outside hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [18993]

Mr. Horam

In May 1996, the Department issued a leaflet on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus to health authorities, social services departments and nursing and residential homes, and guidelines on the control of infection generally in residential and nursing homes. These guidelines advise that MRSA rarely presents a danger to people in these settings and that basic measures to prevent the spread of any type of infection, should prevent the spread of MRSA. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money is being directed to researching into the cause, extent of, possible cures for, measures to combat and drugs for MRSA; and if he will make a statement. [18989]

Mr. Horam

Information in the form requested is not held centrally. For information on the Department's expenditure on research into MRSA and developing new antibiotics, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) on 22 January,Official Report, columns 15–16.