raising public awareness - campaigning for safer standards
supporting sufferers and dependants

Telephone: 07762 741114  /  01337 841098
email: INFO@MRSAACTIONUK.NET

Reducing infections in and outside of hospital 2010 and beyond
 
The Government has recognised that whilst the NHS has achieved reductions in healthcare associated infections nationally, not every organisation has achieved the reductions necessary to make patient safety more assured and other unreported infections remain a challenge. Those that have already done so must continue to reduce infection rates. Primary Care Trusts will agree stretching ambitions in contracts with provider organisations for reducing infection rates and improving cleanliness.  Strategic Health Authorities will ensure PCT plans are robust in this respect and must be satisfied that those plans demonstrate, collectively, reduced variation in performance.

There are many challenges ahead if the Government's target of 'no avoidable infections' is to be met, and public confidence increased - collaborative working between all healthcare settings is essential.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 stipulates "Good management and organisation are crucial to establishing high standards of infection control. The systems for the prevention and control of infections associated with healthcare are expected to address:
- leadership;
- management arrangements;
- design and maintenance of the environment and devices;
- application of evidence-based protocols and practices for both users and staff; and
- education, training, information and communication"
"Effective prevention and control of healthcare associated infections has to be embedded into everyday practice and applied consistently by everyone."

MRSA Action UK are available to work with teams from Primary Care Trusts and NHS Hospital Trusts, lending opportunities to discuss effective engagement with patients and carers. We are able to present the patient and carer perspective, discuss care pathways, multi-agency working and patient empowerment.   MRSA Action UK's sessions demonstrate how communication is key in working to reduce infections and save lives, and how care pathways can be used as an effective tool in communicating information that is required for patients' safety and ongoing care. The sessions feature good practice and communication tools such as the Lincolnshire Care Pathways Partnership Integrated Care Pathway, and pictorial guide for patients.  A tool for patients or residents who transfer between healthcare providers to pass on important information about their infection status and can be downloaded here .   To see how your organisation is performing see the monthly Health Protection Agency statistics here.  For more information about how we can help please contact us at info@mrsaactionuk.net 

Alison Scott is fundraising for MRSA Action UK

Alison is raising funds for MRSA Action UK in memory of her late Aunt Alice.  She is running the Reading Half Marathon next month.  If you would like to sponsor Alison then please visit Alison's fundraising page at
http://www.justgiving.com/Alison-scott

Alice when she was a young girl pictured on Alison's JustGiving page

Alice

Alison's Aunt Alice didn't recover from MRSA so this is a fitting way to remember her.  Mark and Emma will be proud that their mum is being remembered this way.  Thank you Alison.

    

Carl Millington is fundraising for MRSA Action UK with a place in the London Marathon

Colin

If you would like to sponsor Carl then please visit his fundraising page at http://www.justgiving.com/Carl-Millington.  Carl's story:

Prior to my Uncle Colin passing away I knew very little about MRSA. However upon finding out that his death could have been prevented, my naivety was soon replaced with frustration and anger. My anger was towards those who could let such negligence become common place in such an environment; after all I thought hospitals were a place that you went to, to get better, not worse. I have chosen to run the London marathon to raise public awareness on the subject of MRSA and other healthcare related infections so that others don't have to learn the hard way as I myself, and so many others have had to.

My reasons for running the marathon are not so different from the mission of MRSA Action UK who intend on using such public awareness as a means to influence Government and healthcare providers in the fight to prevent MRSA and all healthcare infections. They go about doing this by sharing knowledge and best practice and by providing an advocacy and support service for victims who have been affected by healthcare infections.

MRSA Action UK has joined JustGiving
If you think you can help then please get in touch to talk about getting involved, you may like to help with fundraising and raising awareness. You can do this by donating through Just Giving securely or by creating your own fundraising page or a page in memory of someone. 

Just ten pounds could help to support people affected by MRSA or other infections by helping with advice and understanding from others who have been affected.  It could also help to provide patient information leaflets, posters to raise awareness on how to prevent infections, leaflets and training materials for seminars, workshops and education events.





Our thanks go to Alison Scott for choosing our Charity and JustGiving to remember her Aunt Alice.  And we wish Carl Millington every success with the London Marathon.

Spirit of Piaf CD Now Available!
This CD recorded by Spirit of Piaf - with Margaret Griffiths as vocalist, Stephen Powell as pianist/musical arranger and Richard Adey and Tracey Burton as accordionists - is at last available for sale.



From the sale of the CD and other fundraising efforts by Margaret's family, over 3000 pounds has been raised for Cancer Research UK, in appreciation of the life-saving treatment Margaret has received.  Unfortunately, during her treatment, Margaret contracted MRSA/Septicaemia followed by other complications which have left her unable to return to performance, as had been planned. Margaret is supporting the very worthwhile cause, MRSA Action UK. A donation of 2 pounds from every CD sale, purchased through this website, between now and 28th February 2010 will be given to MRSA Action UK. If you would like your purchase of the cd to support this cause, you should purchase it through this website.