NHS trust issued with improvement notice
Monday, 09 Jul 2007 13:20
The Health Commission has set targets to lower infection
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Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS trust has been issued with the first-ever improvement notice over infection control by the Healthcare Commission.
The trust was subject to a hygiene inspection on June 7th under the terms of the hygiene code implemented in October 2006, which gives the commission the power to carry out unannounced visits.
Notices are only issued when breaches of the hygiene code are considered to be serious and relate to NHS targets of reducing infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.
After visiting the Chase Farm hospital the commission found that the trust was failing to put in place "appropriate management systems" for infection prevention.
In addition it found that the trust was failing to assess risks of healthcare-associated infection, to provide and maintain a clean environment for healthcare and to provide "adequate isolation facilities".
The trust has now been given deadlines to address the issues raised and will be supervised by the strategic health authority in working towards these targets.
Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, said: "It is absolutely critical that the trust is able to say it is doing everything possible to control infection.
"This is not yet the case and we expect that problem to be addressed with urgency on behalf of patients.
"I am reassured that the trust has already begun to implement our requirements, and patients can also be reassured by this. The trust and the strategic health authority have said that this is at the top of their priority list."
The commission will be inspecting 120 NHS trusts over the next year and so far only Barnet and Chase Farm NHS trust has been issued with a notice.
"I hope this sends out a strong message to all trusts that we will not hesitate to use our powers when it comes to enforcing the hygiene code," Ms Walker added.
"We are not looking to catch people out. What we want is these infection control processes in place on behalf of patients. Trusts know that our assessment managers are coming. They should check to see they have their house in order."
Responding to the notice, a statement from Barnet and Chase hospitals said: "The trust is very disappointed that we failed as an organisation to demonstrate our compliance with the hygiene code during the inspection at Chase Farm hospital, particularly as we have worked very hard already to put into place many of the recommendations."