Both cleanliness and pests are strictly controlled at Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals says Head of Communications Andy Hollebon.   Responding to the naming of Ashford and St. Peter’s as hospitals with pest control problems Andy says: “If the Conservatives want to alienate the healthcare community in England then this is the right way to go about it – this is a shameless piece of scaremongering and use of the NHS for party political purposes.    Our hospitals are on large sites with a substantial number of buildings and they are used 24/7 by the local community.   Regrettably pests are a fact of life – whether you run a public service or your own home.   We have a tight control on pests at both our sites which are identified and dealt with quickly and effectively.   I am sure that a more detailed look at local authority pest control records and discussions with pest control companies would put the whole issue into perspective and show just how often pest controllers are needed in our wider local community to keep pests under control.”

Andy continues: “It is also a shame that the Conservatives seem to confuse pest control with infection control.   We have a very good record on reducing healthcare acquired infections and the rate of MRSA bacteraemia at Ashford and St. Peter’s has fallen to such an extent that the Trust had the lowest rate in Surrey in 2007/08.    Levels of C. difficile have fallen significantly since July 2007 but can be driven down further.  Although the Healthcare Commission issued an improvement notice at the end of June for some minor issues we have already completed the action necessary to meet the standards required in those two minor areas.”        

In 2007/08 there were a total of 15 cases of MRSA bacteraemia – less than half the number of cases in 2006/07.    Of these 15 cases 7 (47%) were admitted from the community with MRSA including one from a hospital abroad.   In January to March 2008 there were 68 cases of C. difficile.   This compares to 94 cases in October to December 2007 and  123 cases July to September 2007.   These include inpatients and community cases and C. difficile remains a national problem with rates increasingly significantly when areas are affected by Norovirus.

Initiatives introduced by the Infection Control Team at both Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals to combat Healthcare Acquired Infections (HCAIs) include:

·          ‘Clean Your Hands’ campaign with gel dispensing machines and signage placed at entrances throughout both hospital sites

·          ‘talking frames’ near ward and clinical areas which are activated by movement and remind people to cleanse their hands;

·          introduction of the Microfibre cleaning system at Ashford Hospital;

·          a review of Antibiotic prescribing guidelines and employment of a dedicated antibiotics pharmacist;

·          a review of the widely used Infection Control Manual and the introduction of Infection Control ‘outbreak packs’ to wards and clinical areas enabling them to quickly implement additional infection control measures when they are needed.

The latest (2008) results received by the Trust from the National Patient Safety Agency for Patient Enviornment Action Team inspections for the Trust’s hospitals are: