MRSA Screening

Statement from the Chief Executive:

Infection prevention and control is our top priority. Over the past year we have worked hard to reduce the number of healthcare associated infections, there will though always be more that we can do.

To help achieve further reductions in the number of MRSA infections, we have introduced MRSA screening for all elective surgical admissions and some other at risk groups. Our MRSA policy outlines the procedures and the groups of patients included in the screening programme.

A successful MRSA screening programme depends on good working relationships across the local health economy. We have therefore been working in partnership with our colleagues in the community and primary care to ensure that this happens. We have also produced and distributed a new information leaflet for patients and carers, which explains further what MRSA screening involves and why we have introduced it.

Over the next year we will be working towards introducing screening for all emergency admissions with the aim that eventually all patients admitted to our hospitals will be screened for MRSA.

Duncan Selbie
Chief Executive
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals

About the screening programme:

• Many people have MRSA harmlessly living on their skin or in their nose without experiencing any symptoms or it making them ill. In other words these people carry MRSA.

  
  

• Because MRSA lives on the skin it is constantly being circulated in the environment due to the skin flakes naturally falling from our bodies.

  
  

• High levels of cleanliness are important to prevent surfaces and equipment becoming contaminated with the MRSA germ and it is vital healthcare workers clean their hands before and after patients contact to prevent the MRSA germ spreading from one person to another.

  
  

• By taking a painless swab from the skin and inside the nose of patients who are due to come into hospital for an operation, we can tell which patients are carrying MRSA.

  
  

• Before coming into hospital we will prescribe these patients with an antibacterial skin wash and nasal ointment which may eradicate the germ from their skin altogether.

  
  

• Along with all the other measures we are taking to prevent and control infection on our wards, this treatment will reduce the risk of the MRSA germ entering the patient’s body through a wound, tube or drip, and developing into a more serious infection in the blood.

On these pages you will find lots of information to help you understand this process including:

FAQs

How to use Chlorhexidine hair and body wash

How to use the nasal ointment