BETWEEN FIVE and 10 per cent of patients admitted to acute hospitals will develop MRSA-type infections, according to a report from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
The report by the college’s policy group, which is chaired by Prof Hilary Humphreys, said not all healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are preventable.
“Between one in 10 and one in 20 patients admitted to acute hospitals will develop a HCAI, not all of which are preventable. It is not possible to eradicate HCAIs completely,” he said.
The report said hospital consultants had responsibility for informing patients that they had such infections, while in the community the responsibility normally rested with the patient’s GP.
It said unnecessary anxiety was generated when infected patients heard about their condition through a third party.
As patients and their families did not always have access to credible information about infections, direct access to a health professional could allay unnecessary worry. “The use of information leaflets, while essential for patients, should not replace one-to-one discussion between the patient and the consultant or GP.”
The report said patients with infections such as MRSA should be informed about their condition as early as possible.
Prof Humphreys added that concern over possible litigation or a sense of shame on the part of the hospital should not prevent early disclosure. The report said some media coverage was not always clear or accurate.
