Shropshire’s four NHS trusts are strengthening their relationship in a renewed effort to tackle superbugs like MRSA.

They have already had success in fighting infection but a report to the trust boards says further improvements will be necessary.

The prevention and reduction of health care associated infection has been and will continue to be a “major priority” for the four organisations — Shropshire County Primary Care Trust, NHS Telford and Wrekin, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust and the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital Trust, Oswestry.

The report says: “Notable developments in the safe, clean delivery of clinical care for patients have already been achieved locally and will need to be sustained.

“Further improvements, particularly in the light of local experience and emerging best practice,will be necessary.”

And it warns: “Micro-organisms do not recognise organisational boundaries and health care associated infection is not limited to hospitals.”

A mission statement has been drawn up by the trusts in which they promise to continue to prevent and reduce infection across the health service by a strong partnership approach, patient and public surveillance and a “root cause” analysis of MRSA cases.

The MRSA 2009/10 target for the two primary care and the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital trusts is to have no more than 20 cases while for the Oswestry hospital it is a maximum of three.

The Clostridium difficile (C.diff) target for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust is no more than 180, Oswestry a maximum of eight, Shropshire County PCT 200, and NHS Telford and Wrekin 109.

For both MRSA and C.diff, all the trusts are ahead of target to date.

The report says that within the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust which runs the Royal Shrewsbury and Telford’s Princess Royal, there has been a “significant increase” in MRSA screening and a strong focus on improving hand hygiene.

There have been improvements too in diagnostic testing for C.diff.

At Oswestry clinical service matrons have been introduced and the cleaning strategy has been revised.

The two primary care trusts have expanded their joint infection prevention and control service and involved the independent care sector in the “clean-your hands” campaign.

By Health Correspondent Dave Morris