Newark Hospital winning battle with superbug

Newark Hospital has gone two years without a single case of the superbug MRSA, making the trust that runs it one of the top performing in the region.

Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust says its success in wiping out the hospital-acquired infection is down to its zero tolerance approach.

The two-year record also covers King's Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield.

The last case of MRSA bacteraemia at either hospital was recorded on March 18, 2010.

Suzanne Morris, nurse consultant in infection prevention and control for the trust, said: “Infection control is our top priority, and our stringent cleaning, hygiene and hand-washing practices, together with our antibiotic prescribing policy, have resulted in our infection rates remaining some of the lowest in the UK."

The trust routinely screens patients for MRSA when they are admitted into one of their hospitals.

If the patient is found to have the bacteria living on their skin they are given a course of treatment to reduce the number of bacteria.

Awareness is continually being raised with relatives and visitors about the importance of washing their hands or using hand gels.

The trust's chief executive, Mr Martin Wakeley, said: “Two years without a single case of hospital-acquired MRSA bacteraemia is an outstanding achievement and great news for our patients and visitors.

“This result is testament to the hard work and determination of all our staff who use the zero tolerance approach to infections, together with their drive and commitment to providing first class care for our patients.

"However, we are not complacent and are continually looking to see what we can do further to retain this level of success."