The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7387 p157
11 February 2006

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News summary

Public misinterpret MRSA figures

Better public education about the meaning of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus figures was called for at a meeting held in London this week. Jane Kennedy, minister for quality and patient safety, told the Westminster Diet and Health Forum seminar that patients need to understand how high MRSA figures can arise. For example, a higher rate in one hospital may reflect the fact that more complicated clinical cases are referred there from other hospitals.

Ms Kennedy said that it is important that patients understand what their hospital is doing to tackle the problem and they should be encouraged, for example, to ask members of staff treating them whether they have washed their hands. Other issues discussed at the meeting include the need for hospitals to have more isolation rooms, the need for behavioural scientists to research reasons for poor levels of handwashing and better collaboration with the private sector.


Meeting report p180