Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHS66,527 NHS staff carrying MRSA
Between 3% and 5% of staff are thought to be "colonised" with the superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
A total of 1,330,544 people work for the NHS and the Government estimates the number of employees carrying the bug is up to 66,527.
According to the Office for National Statistics in 2007 1,593 people dead from MRSA.
In response to a written parliamentary question from East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight who asked Ms Keen what the "number of NHS clinical staff who are carriers of MRSA" is.
The minister replied "It is estimated that 3%-5% of staff are colonised with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus."
Related article: Prisoners more likely to have CA-MRSA
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Readers' comments (4)
Gary PORTER JONES | 10-Feb-2009 1:22 pm
For goodness sake, when will NT stop referring to MRSA as a superbug? It's the persistent use of this misleading and meaningless term that perpetuates public concern and distracts from far more important issues in contemporary health care. Furthermore, continued use of this term it does little to maintain NT’s professional credibility amongst readers who know that MRSA isn't super in any way whatsoever. Come on NT, move on with the times and be a bit more accurate and scientific in your coverage of important issues.
Gary Porter-Jones
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Pauline Champion | 13-Feb-2009 12:21 pm
This article is really going to give the public both FAITH and CONFIDENCE in our NHS. The public are already scared to come into our hospitals because of BAD PRESS don't you think this will increase their anxieties?
I am a staff nurse in gloucestershire, I have been sat in Dr surgeries where I have had access to the NT's, imagine how someone out side of the NHS would feel if they read this article.
We are suposed to a "CARING PORFESSION NOT A SCARING ONE" !!!!
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Anonymous | 13-Feb-2009 5:46 pm
I stopped subscribing to the Nursing Times as it is sensationalist & unprofessional. This could be an article from the Sun or Dailly Mail, both rags which have lots to say with not much substance.
Please give a bit of the science, for example the proportion of people in the general population colonised with MRSA. It makes health professionals out to be leper like with some disease far removed from society placing poor unsuspecting patients at risk. We are all "victims" of long term over subscribing of antiobiotics which has unbalanced natural states in the environment leading to MRSA.
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Pauline Champion | 13-Feb-2009 8:27 pm
Your titile is very misleading!!!!!
Also,I thought that what ever we documented is supposed to be 'EVIDENCE BASED' please show us yours!!!
Where did you get your figures from? You state that in 2007 1,593 are dead from MRSA!!!!
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