§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many MRSA incidents have been voluntarily reported in each NHS region since 1996(a) in total and (b) as a ratio to the population in that region. [131648]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 24 July 2000]: The Public Health Laboratory Service compiles aggregate data on numbers of incidents of MRSA which are voluntarily submitted by National Health Service trusts for specialist microbiological tests. These are given in the table. Also shown is the rate per 100,000 population.
505W
Incidents of MRSA and rates per 100,000 population 1996–2000 Incidents of MRSA Population Rate per 100,000 1996 Anglia and Oxford 237 5,360,925 4 North Thames 539 6,933,690 8 North West 176 6,605,118 3 Northern and Yorkshire 150 6,338,285 2 South and West 206 6,594,376 3 South Thames 421 6,819,118 6 Trent 99 5,120,988 2 West Midlands 121 5,316,585 2 Wales 158 2,921,075 5 Total 2,107 52,010,160 4
Incidents of MRSA and rates per 100,000 population 1996–2000 Incidents of MRSA Population Rate per 100,000 1997 Anglia and Oxford 297 5,410,284 5 North Thames 544 6,987,622 8 North West 259 6,597,722 4 Northern and Yorkshire 224 6,335,813 4 South and West 254 6,638,509 4 South Thames 385 6,865,023 6 Trent 123 5,128,485 2 West Midlands 102 5,320,784 2 Wales 176 2,926,933 6 Total 2,364 52,211,175 5 1998 Anglia and Oxford 223 5,452,321 4 North Thames 289 7,051,978 4 North West 215 6,603,991 3 Northern and Yorkshire 202 6,339,044 3 South and West 101 6,672,263 2 South Thames 220 6,908,662 3 Trent 109 5,133,802 2 West Midlands 69 5,332,521 1 Wales 169 2,933,324 6 Total 1,597 52,427,906 3 1999 Eastern 80 5,416,242 1 London 290 7,267,458 4 Northern and Yorkshire 170 6.348,589 3 North West 180 6,604,031 3 South East 170 8,687,156 2 South West 40 4,934,125 1 Trent 100 5,149,937 2 West Midlands 30 5,342,340 1 Wales 130 2,940,324 4 Total 1,190 52,690,202 2 2000 Eastern 30 — — London 100 — — Northern and Yorkshire 40 — — North West 50 — — South East 60 — — South West 10 — — Trent 30 — — West Midlands 30 — — Wales 30 — — Total 380 — — Notes:
1. Population estimates are mid-year estimates based on 1991 census data
2. For 1996 and the first half of 1997 data have been amalgamated to the approximate boundaries of the new Regional Office areas. This allows for comparison with subsequent years
3. Data for 2000 are incomplete, therefore the rate per 100,000 cannot be calculated
4. An incident is three or more patients infected or colonised by the same strain of MRSA in the same month from the same hospital
5. The criteria for submission of isolates of MRSA (and other isolates of staphylococcus aureus) to the PHLS for specialist tests have been revised twice since 1996 (in January 1998 and in January 2000).