MRSA risk 'rising in crowded hospitals'

Thousands of patients risk catching MRSA and other deadly superbugs because NHS hospitals are overcrowded, according to a survey reported in the Daily Telegraph today.

Figures produced by the Royal College of Nursing suggest that in the vast majority of wards the proportion of beds occupied at any one time is substantially higher than Government estimates.

Infection control experts have warned that occupancy rates should be kept below 85% to prevent the spread of MRSA and other infections such as Clostridium difficile.

But the survey suggests the average occupancy rate earlier this year was 97%, and that more than half of wards were running at 100% to meet increased patient demand and hit waiting time targets.

Speaking at the college's annual congress in Harrogate yesterday, Howard Catton, the head of policy, said: "Our report shows we have a system running very hot, with very high bed occupancy and the average length of stay down from 12 days to only nine. The number of nurses on these wards is 14% lower than it should be."

The survey of 173 general medical and general surgical wards in 84 hospitals across the UK found that 54% were running at maximum capacity in February.

Recent figures show that in 2005, a total of 3,807 people died after contracting C difficile, an increase of 69% in 12 months, and a further 1,629 died after contracting MRSA - a rise of 39% in a single year.

Prof Barry Cookson, an MRSA and infection expert at the Health Protection Agency, warned in 2004 that occupancy rates must be lowered.

He said: "We have got to get down to 85%. Patients should realise that there is a certain safety level above which we start having problems."

A health department report leaked last year showed that in hospitals with occupancy rates above 85%, MRSA infection rates were 16% above average. Those with 90% occupancy rates had MRSA 42% above average.

The health department disputed the figures, saying that the most recent occupancy figure, for 2005/06, was 84.6%, the lowest figure since 2000/01.