During August 2019 the Trust reported 2 hospital MRSA bacteraemia cases. Learning from these cases is shared to support care improvements. The Trust target for the year was to have 0 avoidable cases.

Clostridium difficile (C.diff) is a more common infection that is primarily caused by use of antibiotics which, whilst treating the condition they are prescribed for, can upset the balance of this bacterium in the bowels. It can be treated and we have a specialist cohort ward at Warrington Hospital providing care to patients with infection of this kind where they receive the expert nursing, pharmacy and dietary support they require to help them recover.

So far this year (since April 2019) there have been 30 cases of hospital onset C. difficile. Our nationally set threshold is to have no more than 44 cases over the financial year. All C. difficile cases are reviewed by the Clinical Commissioning Group and learning from these cases is shared to support care improvements.

So far this year (since April 2019) there have been 32 cases of E. coli bloodstream infection. There is a Department of Health ambition to reduce cases of this infection. The Trust board in partnership with staff and Governors has set an improvement priority to reduce Gram Negative Bloodstream Infections (GNBSI) by 5% in 2019/20. These infections are being reviewed and learning is shared to support care improvements.