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Infection figures published
20/12/2007
The first ever report on the incidence of Clostridium difficile is published today by Health Protection Scotland.
The figures are a useful addition to the information already available about rates of healthcare associated infection (HAI) and provides an accurate baseline from which to measure success in reducing the number of C.diff cases.
The recently published Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Action Plan set out a series of measures to reduce patients' risk of contracting hospital infections, including C.diff.
A C.diff reference lab for Scotland has also been set up at Stobhill Hospital to speed up diagnosis and give expert advice. This means samples no longer have to be sent to the UK laboratory in Wales, and improves treatment for patients.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon said: "The first report on the incidence of C.diff in Scotland's hospitals provides us with another useful tool in the fight against hospital infections. Now that we know the scale of the challenge, we can target our efforts appropriately.
"We expect al health boards to have robust policies in place to help manage C.diff. These should include monitoring of compliance with cleaning standards, hand hygiene, infection control precautions, prudent prescribing of antibiotics and rapid, accurate diagnosis of cases.
"The record funding of £54 million we have earmarked to tackle HAI will back a much more intensive programme of work and I am confident that our new, more robust approach will drive down rates of C.diff and other hospital infections."