Latest figures for MRSA show there was a 6.4% fall in the number of cases reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in the last quarter, from January to March 2007, while the figure has fallen by 10%, over the course of the year. Meanwhile, there was a 2% rise in reported cases of C. difficile in patients aged 65 and over in England, in the first quarter of 2007, compared with the same period last year. This is 22% higher than the previous quarter.
The HPA says this rise can be explained by the fact that higher numbers of vulnerable people are admitted to hospital at this time of year. However, Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley called the figures "the tip of the iceberg, because they do not include the number of infections in people aged under 65."
ealth Minister Ann Keen commented: "We have taken a wide range of action to drive up standards across the NHS, including an extra £50 million to support frontline workers in tackling these infections. We have also doubled the size of Improvement Teams. The hard work of NHS staff has been vital in reducing MRSA infections, but we now need to redouble our efforts to tackle C. difficile and continue this progress."
