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Source: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/a...ear/article.do
Deaths from hospital superbug C.diff soar by a THIRD in just one year
Last updated at 18:33pm on 28.08.08
The number of people dying who were suffering from C difficile has risen by 28 per cent in England and Wales, say new figures.
Altogether 8,324 death certificates mentioned the infection in 2007, compared with 6,480 the previous year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The number of reported deaths involving the infection has more than doubled since 2005 when there were 3,757 mentions on death certificates.
The ONS said some of the increase may be due to more complete reporting on death certificates after the Government called for more accurate classification by doctors in 2005.
In the following year 2006-07, the number of C. diff cases went up by 72 per cent, with the infection noted as the underlying cause in about half of deaths.
The latest figures show the number of death certificates that mentioned MRSA dropped from 1,652 in 2006 to 1,593 in 2007.
This is the first time the number of MRSA-related deaths has fallen since ONS records began in 1993.
However, MRSA campaigners claim infections are still not under control at many hospitals, with official figures showing 17 trusts had more cases of bloodstream infection last year than in 2004.
Last month it emerged that no criminal charges will be brought over the UK's worst C. diff outbreak.
A damning official report found a string of failures led to the deaths of at least 90 patients from C diff at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust in Kent between 2004 and 2006.
Graziella Kontkowski, who runs the C. diff Support Group after losing her grandmother to the bug, said she hoped the figures were now coming down but believes it is still under-reported in the NHS.
She said 'These figures show the Department of Health was not taking this seriously enough and sadly people have lost their lives as a result.
'C.diff is avoidable by regular, thorough cleaning and the highest standards of hygiene among staff.'
Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, said 'It is tragic that so many people are dying unnecessarily each year from Clostridium difficile.
'We need better antibiotic prescribing and hygiene but also proper isolation facilities in hospitals to stop infections spreading.
'But Labour have broken their promises on this and three quarters of hospitals still lack proper isolation facilities.'
Professor Brian Duerden, Inspector of Microbiology and Infection Control, on behalf of the Department of Health, said 'Patients have a right to high quality, safe care. We take this very seriously, which is why we have made infection prevention and control a legal requirement and a number one priority for the NHS.
'However, people who are very ill are vulnerable to infections, not all of which are avoidable.
'In July 2005, we wrote to the NHS to make clear that we wanted infections such as MRSA and C. difficile to be reported more accurately on death certificates.
'We believe the rise in the number of C. difficile cases recorded as a contributing factor on death certificates does not represent a rise in actual deaths, but primarily an increase in awareness and reporting.'
The infection was named on a total of 8,324 death certificates last year in England and Wales - 28 per cent more than the previous year's tally of 6,480.
In some of these cases, even though the patient was infected with C diff, the deaths may actually have been caused by other factors.
Deaths from hospital superbug C.diff soar by a THIRD in just one year
Last updated at 18:33pm on 28.08.08
The number of people dying who were suffering from C difficile has risen by 28 per cent in England and Wales, say new figures.
Altogether 8,324 death certificates mentioned the infection in 2007, compared with 6,480 the previous year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The number of reported deaths involving the infection has more than doubled since 2005 when there were 3,757 mentions on death certificates.
The ONS said some of the increase may be due to more complete reporting on death certificates after the Government called for more accurate classification by doctors in 2005.
In the following year 2006-07, the number of C. diff cases went up by 72 per cent, with the infection noted as the underlying cause in about half of deaths.
The latest figures show the number of death certificates that mentioned MRSA dropped from 1,652 in 2006 to 1,593 in 2007.
This is the first time the number of MRSA-related deaths has fallen since ONS records began in 1993.
However, MRSA campaigners claim infections are still not under control at many hospitals, with official figures showing 17 trusts had more cases of bloodstream infection last year than in 2004.
Last month it emerged that no criminal charges will be brought over the UK's worst C. diff outbreak.
A damning official report found a string of failures led to the deaths of at least 90 patients from C diff at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust in Kent between 2004 and 2006.
Graziella Kontkowski, who runs the C. diff Support Group after losing her grandmother to the bug, said she hoped the figures were now coming down but believes it is still under-reported in the NHS.
She said 'These figures show the Department of Health was not taking this seriously enough and sadly people have lost their lives as a result.
'C.diff is avoidable by regular, thorough cleaning and the highest standards of hygiene among staff.'
Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, said 'It is tragic that so many people are dying unnecessarily each year from Clostridium difficile.
'We need better antibiotic prescribing and hygiene but also proper isolation facilities in hospitals to stop infections spreading.
'But Labour have broken their promises on this and three quarters of hospitals still lack proper isolation facilities.'
Professor Brian Duerden, Inspector of Microbiology and Infection Control, on behalf of the Department of Health, said 'Patients have a right to high quality, safe care. We take this very seriously, which is why we have made infection prevention and control a legal requirement and a number one priority for the NHS.
'However, people who are very ill are vulnerable to infections, not all of which are avoidable.
'In July 2005, we wrote to the NHS to make clear that we wanted infections such as MRSA and C. difficile to be reported more accurately on death certificates.
'We believe the rise in the number of C. difficile cases recorded as a contributing factor on death certificates does not represent a rise in actual deaths, but primarily an increase in awareness and reporting.'
The infection was named on a total of 8,324 death certificates last year in England and Wales - 28 per cent more than the previous year's tally of 6,480.
In some of these cases, even though the patient was infected with C diff, the deaths may actually have been caused by other factors.