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Infection rates fall at Caithness General Hospital


By SPP Reporter



Infection rates have fallen at Caithness General in Wick.
Infection rates have fallen at Caithness General in Wick.

Infection rates have fallen at Caithness General in Wick.

A FALL in infection rates across the North has been welcomed by the local health partnership.

The number of on-site reported infections at Caithness General Hospital has followed the wider Highland trend and decreased for another year.

North Highland Community Health Partnership general manager Sheena MacLeod said she is pleased by the latest figures.

“Infection control is a priority for Caithness General Hospital and I am pleased that the latest report shows infection rates are falling across the board,” she said.

“We have a good track record here on the control of infection and all staff work incredibly hard to ensure it remains a high priority, however, we must not be complacent and will continue to raise awareness among all staff, patients and visitors on the need to follow infection control rules.”

At the Wick hospital there was just one surgical site infection in the last year which followed an incision made by a surgeon last July.

NHS Highland’s director of nursing, Heidi May, is also delighted efforts put in by health authority staff to reduce infection has paid off – but she is keen to point out they will not be complacent and the hard work will continue.

“There has been a huge effort from all of our staff to reduce our rates of infection and it has certainly paid off,” she said.

“It is heartening to see such a decrease in the number of surgical site infections and C. difficile cases.”

The latest report reveals there were only two pensioners admitted at Caithness General with C. difficile over the past year, as well a two cases of MRSA bacteraemia during February and March and one MSSA bacteraemia case in April of this year.

The yearly review of infection rates published by Health Protection Scotland shows a noticeable decrease in the number of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia, C. difficile and surgical site infections (SSI) in the wider Highland region.

NHS Highland’s Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia rates, which include MRSA and MSSA, are the lowest of the mainland boards and, over the last year, there has been a marked reduction in the number of C. difficile cases and SSIs.

Ms May explained a number of initiatives, including a hand hygiene campaign and the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, are key to this.

NHS Highland holds monthly local hand hygiene audits which help to promote good hand hygiene across all staff groups and to the general public.

Ms May said this report highlights just how much work has gone on at NHS Highland in reducing rates of infection and all staff should be congratulated for their efforts.

“The cleanliness of the hospital environment is also important and the team of domestics we have within NHS Highland work hard to provide this service and ensure standards remain high,” she said.

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