Manchester Community Health

Friday 16th October 2009

Implementing Essential Steps to Clean Safe Care through a firm "Board to Door" commitment is a key priority for Manchester Community Health. The reduction of avoidable harm associated with healthcare acquired infection remains an ongoing area for patient safety improvement. MRSA Action UK were invited to speak at the Manchester Community Health Trust at their Aiming High Conference at the Hough Centre, Manchester.

Derek Butler had the privilege of giving the opening presentation relating how healthcare infections not only affect people who contract an infection but how this can ripple through family members and friends. It is very much like someone throwing a pebble into a pond, the initial splash is the contraction of a healthcare infection. But the ripples that extend outwards touch everyone’s life, including those who work in the NHS.

The conference was oversubscribed and the staff listened intently to the real life stories presented to them. These case studies touched on how people contracted infections not only in the Acute setting but within Ambulance Trusts, Dentistry and Care Homes. And it was shown to the delegates attending that although the infections may have been contracted within different healthcare settings, the effects on the patients and families were the same.

Manchester Community Health Trust has set themselves the ambitious target of reducing avoidable healthcare infections by 80% within 12 months. MRSA Action UK would like to commend Manchester Community Health for setting this ambitious target, and the Charity gave a commitment to work with them to help achieve their ambition.

After the presentation was given the staff within Manchester Community Health thanked the Charity and said that this has given them the impetus to achieve the target set for them. MRSA Action UK was pleased to give this presentation and look forward to future collaboration with

Manchester Community Health.