HOSPITAL bosses in Worcestershire have recorded their lowest number of MRSA cases with three in a year following a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to superbugs.

Leaders at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages the county’s three acute hospitals including Worcestershire Royal Hospital, recorded its lowest number of cases to date in 2011/12.

During the last year the trust identified three inpatients with the infection in their blood where the infection developed in hospital, compared with eight in 2010/11 and 33 in 2006/07.

Dr Anne Dyas, consultant microbiologist, said: “We understand that the risk of infection by superbugs such as MRSA is a very important issue for our patients.

“This is why we set ourselves the very highest standards and maintain a 'zero tolerance'

approach to infection.”

New national figures have revealed that the number of people dying due to MRSA bloodstream infections in hospitals has fallen by more than a quarter in the last year, to a 15- year low.

Locally, leaders say the decrease is down to a combination of a rigorous MRSA screening programme and numerous infection control initiatives.

MRSA screening for all eligible inpatients became mandatory for acute trusts in March 2011. In addition, re-screening of any patient who has remained in hospital longer than a month has been introduced.

MRSA is a germ that may be harmlessly carried by many people on their skin and in their nose without causing an infection.

It can, however, cause abscesses, boils and wound infections, particularly in people who are already unwell.

Patients and visitors are encouraged to wash their hands regularly and use antibacterial hand-gel when visiting patient areas. The Visitors’ Code also reduces the risk by allowing a maximum of two visitors per patient at any one time and recommending people do not visit if they are unwell themselves.