Reports published by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) show Health Boards’ performance over quarter from January to March in tackling the Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI), Clostridium difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) and Staph. aureus bacteraemia (MRSA and MSSA).

Figures show the number of cases of CDAD increased by 16 per cent to 1861 on the previous quarter and by 4.8 per cent on the same period of last year. Hospital attendance was a significant factor with 74 per cent of the patients having been in hospital within the 12 weeks before the onset of the disease.

The period had the lowest rate of MRSA and the second lowest rate of Staph. Aureus bacteraemia since surveillance began in 2005 .

Hand hygiene was reported to improve with compliance with regulations increasing from 68 per cent in February 2007 to 88 per cent this May.

Commenting on the reports, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:

"The data published today give a clear picture of the incidence of and response to Healthcare Acquired Infections across NHS Scotland. NHS Boards use this information to manage the situation in their local area and monitor progress.

"Tackling HAI is a priority for the Scottish Government. Scotland has one of the most comprehensive sets of policies and procedures to manage HAI in Europe. However, recent events at the Vale of Leven show how vital it is for Boards to ensure that these policies and procedures are applied to a high standard. Indeed I challenged NHS Board Chairs at my meeting with them on Monday (30 June) to ensure that this is the case, and I intend to raise the issue with every Board during this summer's Annual Reviews.

"The report on rates of Staph. aureus bacteraemia reveals that these infections are at the second lowest level since national reporting began, and that MRSA bacteraemias are at their lowest rate since 2003. This, coupled with a high level of progress towards compliance on our 90 per cent hand hygiene target and other interventions led by the HAI Task Force, indicates that the actions we are taking are beginning to take effect.

"We need to tackle HAIs on all fronts. We know that good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent and reduce infections which is why we will continue with the national Hand Hygiene Campaign and reinforce this message. I hope that we may also strengthen prevention further through Scotland's MRSA Screening Programme. The only UK pilot of such a programme, it is currently being trialled across three NHS Board areas and I eagerly await the results of this next year."

Commenting on the reports Mary Scanlon MSP, the Conservatives' Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing, said:

“Although hand hygiene compliance is higher and MRSA infection lower, the recent outbreak of C difficile at the Vale of Leven shows that there is a need for increased vigilance and consistent compliance throughout NHS hospitals in Scotland.

“The Vale of Leven outbreak illustrated very serious concerns in terms of hygiene and cleanliness as well as ignoring the concerns of staff.

“HAIs cost the NHS in terms of bed occupancy and is a fear factor for patients who see their length of stay in hospital extended and for some the infection proves too much.

“The Scottish Government must tackle HAIs by re-introducing a visible and accountable point of authority empowered to enforce robust hygiene standards in every ward across Scotland. When errors occur in the NHS today all too often nobody is held to account. Putting a named individual in control of enforcing hygiene protocols will concentrate minds and make our hospital wards a safer place.

“But most crucially, there needs to be a more detailed record of HAIs in terms of where they break out. It is unacceptable that the current system will only note the Health Board area where an HAI outbreak is situated, and not the individual hospital. How are we expected to act to isolate the problem if we don’t know where it is? We need to know about these things as they occur, not afterwards – otherwise there is no way of knowing that another Vale of Leven isn’t happening right now.”