Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of infection associated with healthcare. All episodes of MRSA bacteraemia in England are reported to the Department of Health via a web-based data capture system managed by the Health Protection Agency. The numbers of MRSA bacteraemia reported by each NHS Trust are published every quarter and since this system was established good progress has been made in reducing the rates of infection.
Since many of these infections occur in patients established renal failure (ERF) additional data on the type of vascular access of these patients has been collected by this system since 2007 and published in the UKRR annual report. The system for capturing this enhanced data relies on sending this email alert to the renal unit whenever a patient in ERF who develops MRSA bacteraemia is recorded in the system. The alert asks the renal unit to access the system to complete the relevant data for that patient. Each renal dialysis unit in England should identify 2 contacts to receive these email alerts and be responsible for completing the data on MRSA bacteraemia.
I have written to all renal unit CDs outlining the system that the Health Protection Agency and Trusts have in place.
