Infection prevention crackdown sees huge reduction in C. diff cases
UHDB staff have showcased their outstanding commitment to keeping our patients safe by helping reduce the spread of infections across our hospitals.
The Trust has seen a 31% reduction in the number of cases of patients with Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, across our five hospitals over the last 12 months.
In total, there were 64 incidents of patients acquiring C. diff throughout the year, with the 40 in Derby representing the lowest number of cases ever recorded for a year at the Royal Derby Hospital and London Road Community Hospital.
Staff have played a crucial role in reducing the spread of the bacterial infection by following infection prevention control guidelines on hand hygiene, cleanliness of clinical areas, managing patients with diarrhoea and effective prescribing of the right antibiotics.
These methods have also resulted in just one MRSA bloodstream infection case across the Trust, with UHDB seeing a 6% reduction in the total number of gram negative bloodstream infections, such as e-coli, over the year.
Gram negative bloodstream infections are on the rise in NHS trusts nationwide, with the UHDB Infection Prevention and Control Team currently working to identify different risk factors to ensure even fewer patients are affected going forward.
Helen Forrest, Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control, said: “No patient should ever be harmed by an avoidable infection when they’re in hospital. Correctly following Aseptic Non Touch Technique guidelines, maintaining cleanliness and effective prescription of antibiotics are all so important in reducing the chance of the spread of infection. To see such a large reduction in cases of C. diff and other infections across the Trust is something we’re extremely proud of and it’s all thanks to the fantastic commitment shown by our staff to keeping our patients safe.”