FOI240280:Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) at Royal Sussex County Hospital

Released 12 July 2024

We are conducting some research on behalf of [redacted] into rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) across hospitals in the UK. We are particularly interested in understanding the following from you.

1. How many Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) have been recorded at Royal Sussex County Hospital over the past three years?

2022, 2023, 2024 (to May 31)

2. What are the most common types of HAIs reported in Royal Sussex County Hospital  (i.e., surgical site infections, MRSA, HPV etc.)?

3. Please provide data on the mortality rate associated with HAIs in Royal Sussex County Hospital over the past three years?

2022, 2023, 2024 (to May 31)

4. On average, do patients who contract HAIs spend more, less or the same length of time in hospital compared to those who don’t?

More time, Less time, The same amount of time

5. How much has the treatment of HAIs cost Royal Sussex County Hospital over the past three years?

2022, 2023, 2024 (to May 31)

6. What infection control policies and procedures are currently in place to prevent HAIs?

7. How often are these policies and procedures reviewed and updated at Royal Sussex County Hospital (please provide dates of the last review/update period)?

8. Are there any specific protocols in place to deal with an outbreak of HAIs at Royal Sussex County Hospital ?

9. How is staff hygiene maintained to reduce the risk of HAIs?

10. How is visitor hygiene maintained to reduce the risk of HAIs?

11. How is patient hygiene maintained to reduce the risk of HAIs?

12. Are there specific cleaning and disinfection procedures for patient rooms, medical equipment, and common areas?

13. Have any new technologies or practices have been implemented to reduce the rates of HAIs at Royal Sussex County Hospital over the past three years?

14. Are there any plans to explore or introduce new technologies or practices at Royal Sussex County Hospital to reduce the rates of HAIs over the next three years?

Information disclosed:

Please note University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has been in operation since 1 April 2021, following the merger of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Information about the Trust’s hospitals can be found on our website.

Please note in our response below, except where information is solely relevant to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, we have reported for the merged Trust.

1. Please see the table below for information relevant to the number of HCAI [Healthcare Associated Infections] recorded at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

These infections include C. difficile; Covid 19; E. coli; Klebsiella spp; MRSA; MSSA; and pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Please note, that due to the way that the information is recorded by our monitoring systems, we have provided information relevant to the number of organisms detected. Some patients may unfortunately develop more than one type of infection and for this reason we are unable to confirm the ‘number’ of patients that acquired HCAIs over these period on the basis that this information is not held centrally. Any effort to compile data in the format you are seeking would require the individual audit, analysis and cross-referencing of all relevant patient records and HCAI reports over this period. This work would not only exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ as outlined in the Fees Regulations and section 12 provision [cost limit] of the FOIA is therefore applicable, but additionally the Trust is not required under the terms of the Act to create ‘new’ information for the purpose of answering a FOI request.

2. Please see the table below for information relevant to the most prevalent HCAIs recorded at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton:

3. The Trust has not calculated mortality rates associated with HAIs at the Royal Sussex County Hospital over the past three years, therefore, this information is not held by the Trust and not available under the terms of the Act.

4. While there is a general view that patients who contract an HAI are likely to have a longer hospital stay, the basis for this view is not supported by research carried out by the Trust in the context of your request. Any answer we can give would be the opinion of the staff member answering this question, likely based on external or anecdotal evidence.

For this reason we do not hold the information requested under the terms of the Act (please see answer to question 3 above).    

5. The cost figures you are seeking have not been calculated by the Trust, therefore, this information is not held by the Trust and not available under the terms of the Act. Please see answer to question 3 above.    

6. The Trust follows the National Infection Prevention and Control [IPC] manual. The Trust also has its own locally relevant policies for infection prevention and control that are aligned to the National manual.

7. These policies are reviewed every three years. If there is a change in national guidelines then policies in place across the Trust are updated accordingly.

8.Yes

9. To name a few, the Trust supplies uniforms for staff working in clinical areas, promotes the importance of hand hygiene and provides an Occupational Health service for all staff.  The Trust also has relevant HR policies relating to staff health and wellbeing.

10. For visitors to the Trust, hand hygiene is encouraged through the use of posters and hand sanitisation stations throughout Trust premises. In addition, there is visible signage throughout Trust premises and on the Trust website, asking people not to visit the premises if they are unwell.

11. The Trust encourages effective hygiene to protect patients as a core nursing skill. For patients admitted to the Trust, hand hygiene is encouraged. The Trust also supplies specialist wipes and pre-op washes for certain surgical procedures.

12. Yes

13. Yes

14. Yes