Fewest people catch Covid from hospitals

REPORTS have been made of hospitalacquired outbreaks of coronavirus at the borough’s care organisations- but the Rochdale has the lowest figures for the northern part of the city region.

Picking up a virus while being treated in hospital as a patient is termed a ‘nosocomial’ infection.

Rochdale’s care organisation has seen the fewest hospital-acquired cases.

Most commonly, it’s used to refer to the superbug MRSA but in 2020 it’s now a watchword for coronavirus within the health system.

According to data presented by the Northern Care Alliance (NCA), nosocomial cases have occurred at each of the four care organisations it encompasses; Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and Salford.

All four care organisations have now produced rapid improvement plans which set out the priority actions needed to address the increase in nosocomial coronavirus infections.

Chief nursing officer Libby Mcmanus told an NCA board meeting: “There is really good strong reliable work happening across our organisation on a daily basis to reduce nosocomial transmission and to ensure our patients are kept safe while in our care.

“We’ve seen each of the care organisations learn from each other around reliable practices.

“That said, I think there are still some challenges for us as an organisation who employs 20,000ish staff.

“Patient movement and placement is critical to reducing transmission.

“So that’s a real challenge especially when the front door becomes more busy.

“We have had high rates in both Salford and in Oldham and whilst Salford has managed to reduce the number and therefore the rate over time that is proving more difficult for Oldham.

“Oldham still has a number of transmissions occurring every week and we’re working really, really hard to minimise those.”