Policy documents 

Our policy and research work includes responding and contributing to guidance issued by government, non-governmental bodies and regulators.  We have relaunched our manifesto asking government to continue to invest in preventing healthcare associated infections, we wish to see cross-party support in this important area of healthcare read Healthcare Associated Infections A Manifesto for 2010

Our Terms of Reference ensure this work reflects the views of patients and carers.  This page summarises just some of the work we are involved in, if you would like more information then please contact us at: info@mrsaactionuk.net

-      MRSA Action UK written evidence to the Inquiry into Patient Safety

-      MRSA Action UK submission on new arrangements for the Regulation of The Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections

-     MRSA Action UK submission on Death Certification and Coroners' Reform Bill 

-      MRSA Action UK are members of the Healthcare Commission Expert Reference Group on developing guidance for assessing healthcare providers' arrangements for meeting the requirements of The Health Act 2006, Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Health Care Associated Infections (the Hygiene Code)

-     MRSA Action UK are members of the National Working Group on Quality Improvement on Lord Darzi's review of the NHS. Terms of Reference include setting standards, assessing performance in clinical practice, developing inspection and review, and supporting quality improvement efforts.  MRSA Action UK's policy document  on strategies in "Human Performance, Tools and Techniques" was presented to this forum  

-        MRSA Action UK response to the draft
NICE guidelines on surgical site infections 2008, with an emphasis on the attention to aseptic non-touch technique and achieving excellence in this important area of clinical care, we have advocated linkages with the Hygiene Code and Saving Lives

-       MRSA Action UK always welcome the opportunity to give a patient perspective on information about healthcare infections and have contributed to information for patients about MRSA and other healthcare infections in consultation with the Department of Health, NHS Hospital Trusts and BUPA

-      MRSA Action UK have taken part in research in involving patients in contributing to the safe delivery of healthcare, preliminary findings from the research are available here

-      MRSA Action UK response to Developing the Annual Health Check in 2008/2009

-      MRSA Action UK response to Developing the Annual Health Check in 2007/2008
Healthcare Commission Annual Health Check - external link

-       MRSA Action UK response to Department of Health's Patients Bill of Rights - April 2007

-    MRSA Action UK response to the Department of Health Consultation
"Action on Healthcare Associated Infections in England" - Now enshrined in legislation The Health Act 2006, Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Health Care Associated Infections (the Hygiene Code)

MRSA Action UK are firm advocates of the Netherlands Search and Destroy Policy - Professor Jan Kluytmans MD has stated "all other strategies have failed"

An evaluation of the continuance of the policy showed that it is cost effective in the longer term, and that rapid testing is needed to avoid putting people into isolation unnecessarily - both from a cost effective point of view, and the personal human viewpoint of being isolated.

We wish the Search and Destroy policy of our Northern European neighbours to be implemented here in the UK and presented MRSA Action UK's paper on the case for Implementing Search & Destroy to The Prime Minister's Health Advisor following a meeting at 10 Downing Street in October 2007.  A holistic approach across the patient journey is required.  The NHS is a great institution, attention to quality and safety must become a universal ethos, our aim is to help embed to safe practice and see that it is well regulated.

The work of all those in the healthcare economy is important in striving for safe healthcare, we continue to work in partnership looking at tools, technologies and techniques that are critical in ensuring patient safety and delivering the best patient outcome.

Netherlands Search & Destroy Policy - How the Dutch beat MRSA

Summary of a presentation by Dr Margreet Vos to the:
MRSA - Learning from the Best conference, London, January 05.

The Netherlands has had major success in keeping MRSA out of its hospitals.

One of the leading places for developing effective strategies to achieve this is the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam.

In 2002, at a neighbouring hospital, there was a sudden increase in the cases of MRSA among patients and healthcare workers, rising from an average of 400 to 1,200 cases. One of the main causes was the introduction of a new strain of MRSA. But it was not recognised as MRSA and in 2002 it, and other strains, were detected elsewhere.

At the 1,200-bed Erasmus Medical Centre University Hospital, there were about 20 positive cases of MRSA per year. In 2002 this rose to 70.

Now in 2004 there is no MRSA in the outbreak hospital and other incidents are quickly eradicated using search and destroy.

"This is proof that you can come from a high endemic level then to hardly any MRSA. Many cultures are now taken from patients and healthcare workers and you don't see any outbreaks," said Dr Vos.

Dr Vos said one of the main reasons for success was search and destroy which involves the early detection, early identification and early containment of infection and encompasses patients, healthcare workers and the healthcare environment.

The critical success factors in the Netherlands   highlighted by Dr Vos were:

  • A national policy on infection prevention and control benchmarked by the Healthcare Inspectorate.
  • National laboratory guidelines on detection and the transportation of patients from abroad.
  • Local infection control committees implement policy, infection control facilities such as isolation rooms and trained healthcare workers exist.
  • All new healthcare workers are educated about healthcare-associated infections.
  • Risk classification of patients and healthcare workers (Class A - proven, Class B -high risk, Class C - increased risk Class D - no risk)

    - Class A and B - strict isolation on admission, pending culture test results
    - Staff that come into contact with those patients wear gloves, a gown, mask and cap
    - Class C are screened and limited contact made until proven negative
    - Class A staff are removed from the hospital immediately and stay at home until proven
      negative
    - Class B are restricted in their movement at work until proven negative
  • In the event of an outbreak the ward closes and only reopens after all patients and healthcare workers are negative, the ward is disinfected and non-disinfected material, such as paper, is destroyed.

Dr Vos said: "Search and destroy is not evidence-based - it is a package of measures.
I can't give you the evidence base. But these are measures that do work. Search and Destroy lacks evidence but this is not an argument to stop successful strategies."

Essential reading and reference guides:

Saving Lives - Self assessment & action planning tool - Department of Health

Healthcare associated infections, a guide for healthcare professionals -
Board of Science, British Medical Association  2006

More resources and reference guides on legislation and good practice for preventing healthcare associated infections

If you or someone you care about has been affected by a healthcare infection and you wish to discuss this with us, please contact us at info@mrsaactionuk.net

 (c) MRSA Action UK June 2008