Lord Mayor lends helping hand to infection fight
The Lord Mayor of Norwich, Michael Banham, has lent a helping hand to the infection control team at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Mr Banham and the Sheriff of Norwich, Brenda Arthur, were guests at the university hospital for its annual open meeting and afterwards were shown hand hygiene techniques by the Trust's specialist infection control nurses.
Lord Mayor Councillor Michael Banham said, “The staff here are truly committed and do a great job. Handwashing is so important for all to do, especially for visitors to the hospital, as I am sure they do not want to be part of spreading any infections”
One of the presentations at the annual open meeting concerned infection control and the many steps being taken to continue limiting healthcare associated infection. The Trust's hospitals have the lowest MRSA rates in Norfolk and Suffolk and recorded a fall in MRSA cases this year.
Number of MRSA cases
- 2001/02 62
- 2002/03 57
- 2003/04 64
- 2004/05 58
Senior infection control nurse Helga Scotton said: “Infection control is important for everyone and all of us, hospital staff, patients and visitors, have a big role to play in fighting infection. We were pleased to have the Lord Mayor helping spread the word about good hand hygiene.”
Hospital staff undertake compulsory training every year on infection control. The Trust's hospitals also have alcohol gel dispensers at the entrance to every ward, and at every bedside and all visitors, patients and staff are asked to use the gel on their hands when they arrive and leave the ward.
The Trust also undertakes risk assessments and screen certain types of high risk patients for MRSA before they come into hospital in order to best treat them and to avoid spreading the infection.
How NNUH compares with other East Anglian hospitals (2004/05)
- Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust General Acute 0.07
- Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust General Acute 0.12
- Papworth Hospital NHS Trust Single speciality 0.12
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust General Acute 0.18
- Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust General Acute 0.20
- West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust General Acute 0.21
- James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust General Acute 0.29
- King's Lynn & Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust General Acute 0.30
- Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust Specialist 0.36
For more information about MRSA visit our Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus page.