Hospital increases checks after MRSA is discovered

Nov 6 2007 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

Liverpool Women's Hospital

LIVERPOOL Women’s Hospital has increased patient checks for MRSA and set up a helpline for worried parents after the killer superbug was found on four babies.

Swabs which test babies for the disease are being carried out more frequently following the scare, which was picked up after doctors performed emergency surgery to save the sight of one child transferred to the neo-natal unit.

The baby had been exposed to the bug at another hospital and the same strain of MRSA was then found on three other babies in the specialist department, where sick and premature newborns are treated.

A helpline number has now been set up at the hospital, which was last week named as having one of the lowest rates of the superbug in the country.

None of the babies actually contracted the disease, and one had already been allowed home.

A trust spokeswoman said: “Towards the end of September, 2007, a baby was admitted from a neighbouring trust for sight-saving laser eye surgery and was found on admission to be carrying the MRSA bacteria. The baby was not infected with MRSA.

“Following the admission of the baby, three other babies carrying the same strain of MRSA were detected by the surveillance system in place on the unit. None of the babies had MRSA infection.”

The spokeswoman said the baby, whose sight was saved, had been transferred back to his original hospital. The two other babies carrying the bug are being cared for in the same room.

Gill Core, Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the hospital, said: “Routine swabbing of all babies on the unit is performed on admission and weekly as a minimum.

“Swabbing frequency is increased whenever necessary in response to test results. During this period, swabs have been carried out more frequently. No other babies have been found to have MRSA throughout the period.

“It is our practice to keep parents fully informed of all aspects of their babies’ care, including infection. All parents were provided with written information and this was followed by a personal discussion.”

Dr Tim Neal, Consultant Microbiologist and Director of Infection Control added: “Liverpool Women’s has an excellent record for infection prevention and control and has consistently been amongst the best performing Trusts in the country in this regard.”

PEOPLE with concerns should contact the hospital helpline on 0151-702-4300.

lizawilliams