Patients now cite fear of hospital-acquired infection as a major cause of concern and staff morale is at its lowest in wards with poor cleaning standards, an audience of infection control professionals were told at the 4th Oxoid Infection Control Seminar Day.
Dr Ben Lopman, head of viral infection in the gastrointestinal diseases division at the Health Protection Agency, spoke on Norovirus outbreaks in hospitals and highlighted The Avon Study, which took place at 3 NHS Trusts. This identified the characteristics of wards prone to outbreaks and quantified the impact of ward closure as an infection control measure. Dr Lopman concluded that Norovirus was detected in 85% of gastroenteritis outbreaks studied, that these outbreaks affected 1 in 50 NHS patients and 1 in 6 NHS care staff, and that gastroenteritis outbreaks were a highly significant cost to the health sector, coming only second to UTI infections as the most costly hospital-acquired infection. It was noted that a new Norovirus variant had emerged and spread rapidly through Europe. He called for an investigation of outbreaks to gain further understanding of necessary control measures.
The annual event, provided free of charge to infection control professionals, was attended by over 100 delegates.
