Hospital infection rates continue to fall

Rates of hospital acquired Clostridium difficile continue to fall at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.

A report going to the Trust board meeting today will show that there were 20 cases of the infection during 2014/15.

This is significantly below the objective set by commissioners for the Trust to see no more than 33 cases during the year. There were no cases at all during March.

The rates have steadily decreased year-on-year and have more than halved since 2010/11.

Viv Duncanson, senior infection control nurse at the Trust said: “Our staff have worked so hard to achieve this reduction in C. difficile rates. The infection control team have found innovative ways to promote good hand hygiene and raise awareness. Recognising excellent practice by means of presenting awards has inspired healthy competition between the wards. Many of our wards have reached the two years free from C. difficile milestone, which is something we are extremely proud of.”

The Trust has been set a new objective to achieve no more than 20 cases of hospital acquired C. difficile during 2015/16.

The board report also highlights the Trust’s performance against a set of key indicators set by Monitor, the regulator of foundation trusts, including A&E waiting times, cancer treatment waiting times and 18 week referral to treatment times.

Cancer waiting times