Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) – people afraid to go to hospital in case they ge

[JohnCallaghanWill]

Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) – people afraid to go to hospital in case they get sicker
- 2007: HSE launched the National Infection Control Action Plan in March 2007 which set the aim to reduce HAIs by 20%, MRSA infections by 30% & antibiotic consumption by 20% by 2010 – almost no progress to date.
- 2007: “In the lifetime of the government, we will provide additional staffing to deal with Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAI), including in particular MRSA”. Programme For Government
- 2008: HIQA Draft Infection Prevention & Control Standards published in June 2008 recommended a major increase in the number of clinical microbiologists & infection-control nurses.
- 2009: Minister Harney did not ring fence specific funding in Budget 2009 therefore it is unlikely there will be any real improvement.

The Government is making little to no progress on reducing HAIs. Fine Gael believes the prevalence of HAIs is a national disgrace & that HAIs could be prevented if the political will was there to do so. (Please see FG Policy, Tackling the
Superbugs) HIQA Standards are still awaiting ministerial approval & require significant funding before essential staff can be recruited & standards introduced.

[JohnCallaghanWill]

Tackling the Superbugs

by Dr Liam Twomey TD

http://www.finegael.ie/news/documents/HAI.pdf

[blacbloc]

The solution is obvious: get that ***ing ***ch Harney out of Health and put a human being in charge instead.

[asset test]

I have a personal interest. My three uncles (both sides of family) died within 4 months of each other, 2 with C diff, and one with MRSA.
The tragedy on all families was immense, they were only in for minor surgery jobs.
All had to have post mortems and will each have an inquest. Piling on the trauma for the family.
Sorry, rant over.

[islands]

Sorry for your loss, Asset Test.

i also have an elderly relative who went to hospital with a fairly minor kidney infection, developed C Diff and was genuinely lucky to get out of the place alive after 16 weeks of infection and reinfection. Luckily she's home now and doing well, but she has absolutely sworn that there is no way she is setting foot in that hospital ever again. I don't know what we'll do when, inevitably, she develops another minor ailment

[asset test]

Islands thanks,

It would appear that resistance to antibiotics is a major problem in dealing with HAIs. But acquiring the bug in the first place in a hospital is scandalous.

I understand that in places like Holland, all patients are swabbed for bugs and if they have any, are isolated. That would be a miracle here.

[Clive Solas]

As long as the HSE focuses solely on costs we will never get rid of this threat. The human factor in spreading these bugs have to he tackled and this will involve spending on staff training and proper hygene services.

[He3]

The HSE does not do joined up thinking.

They are hellbent on moving the Orthopaedic Hospital in Cork from its long established spacious and well run base in the city to the overcrowded CUH. The present Orthopaedic was designed to minimise infection spread, as it was built to house patients suffering from TB.

Effect on risk of infection to orthopaedic patients?

You got it.

Credit to Mary Harney when it is due. Her managers are doing her will.

[asset test]

He3 where is the ortho hospital in Cork now? Is it in the South/Victoria?

Out of Cork a good while now, can't remember thks

[He3]

Up in Gurranebraher. Plenty of bracing fresh air.

As you mention the SIVUH, which holds one of the country's top two Breast Cancer Units (it and Vincents are the busiest), the HSE is hell bent on breaking that up and moving it to the CUH as well. Power politics at work.

The women may not be so easy to push around as they think though.

To cap it, a new Breast Check centre costing up to 10 million was located next to SIVUH on the recommendation of an independent medical auditor. He concluded that SIVUH was the better place for it as its Breast Care surpassed that of the much smaller unit at CUH. It opened in 2008. The HSE plan would see that closed and moved as well. Cost?

Patients first? I think not.