MRSA Action UK remembers all those lost to healthcare associated infections and prays with Mid Staffs families at Westminster Abbey
The event held on Thursday 13th June to remember those lost to healthcare associated infections has been held at Westminster Abbey for eight years now, and was the catalyst for the formation of the national charity MRSA Action UK. In 2005 we were in a position where if you went into hospital it was considered almost inevitable that you would contract an infection as a result of any surgical procedure.
For us who lost people dear to us this was not acceptable and we knew from the standards of care received that more could be done to prevent infections. An over reliance on antibiotics to treat infections had become the norm and standards of aseptic practice, hand hygiene and hospital cleanliness seemed to be no longer a priority in many of our healthcare facilities.
Much hue and cry from relatives and infection prevention specialists was heard and finally John Reid set a target to half the numbers of people affected by MRSA bloodstream infections. Many in the healthcare profession believed this to be unattainable, we did not.
A culture change has taken place in many organisations with regard to preventing infection, partly as a consequence of John Reid's target and the Code of Practice for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections, we are now at the point where the phrase zero tolerance to avoidable infections is the mantra of the NHS organisations who, in 2005, regarded infection as inevitable.
Eight years is a long time, but John Reid's catalyst for change needs to be repeated, not in eight years time but now. The Francis Inquiry over the loss of life and patient harm at Mid Staffs needs to be recognised as a catalyst for change now. We could not hold a Memorial Event this year without recognising that and bringing it to the attention of all those who can make a difference.
The recommendations must be implemented, nothing less is acceptable. Staff need the time to care and be compassionate, the Francis Inquiry showed they could not, there were admissions from the staff themselves that they were not equipped with the time to care and show compassion, no-one listened when issues were raised, and even regulators failed to recognise the appalling failures. Relatives were left in despair as they were helpless to save their loved ones.
We prayed at Westminster Abbey to give strength and courage to all those who are in healthcare to continue to campaign and never forget those who were lost to the failings of the very organisation that is there to protect us when we are at our most vulnerable.
It is only right that this year Julie Bailey from Cure the NHS laid the charity's main wreath with Professor Hugh Pennington, our President.
Julie's organisation is run by 15 people, but hundreds of people were victims of what happened at Mid Staffs. Her colleagues joined us at the service and then on to parliament to continue their campaign to achieve accountability for the many deaths that occurred at Mid Staffs.
We will never forget.
Derek Butler gave a presentation on what had been achieved by the charity this year, and also presented some of the key messages from the Francis Inquiry. The presentation was shocking, but not unfamiliar to many of us, as we had all had similar experiences to some of the things that had happened to those families. The Francis Inquiry has cost £13m, likely to rise to £40m….. But many paid the ultimate price.
To view details of the ceremony and event please visit http://mrsaactionuk.net/memorial2013.html
Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
Email: derek.butler@mrsaactionuk.net
Telephone: 07762 741114
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