MRSA Action UK are working with the James Lind Alliance
MRSA Action UK are working with the James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership to identify priorities for research to tackle healthcare associated infections and help keep infection prevention, diagnosis and treatment in the spotlight.
The James Lind Alliance have worked with clinicians and patients in this way to identify priorities for research on specific conditions, such as pressure ulcers, alcohol liver related disease, epilepsy and asthma. The partnership is the first of its kind to focus on this important area of research, with the collaboration of patient representatives, clinicians and experts in infection prevention working together in this field.
Healthcare associated infections are normally defined as infections that affect patients in hospital or other healthcare facility, and are not present or incubating at the time of admission. They also include infections acquired by patients in the hospital or facility that appear after discharge, and occupational infections among healthcare professionals. Healthcare associated infections are the most frequent adverse event in healthcare delivery worldwide. Healthcare associated infections are believed to cost the NHS at least £1bn annually and cause at least 5,000 deaths every year. Many patients’ hospital stays are prolonged having a major impact on them and their families.
Healthcare associated infections can affect anyone receiving care for any condition. Prevention is always a priority, but with stronger multi-drug resistant bacteria now becoming more prevalent with more complex health conditions being treated, preventing infections is even more of a challenge. Diagnostics is an important area to investigate as when we know someone is presenting with an infection it is important to know quickly how to treat it for the best outcome. We want to identify the top priorities for further research to clarify uncertainties in how we prevent, diagnose and treat infections and want patients, carers and clinicians to help us do this.
There are a number of different prevention, identification and treatment options for healthcare associated infections. It is important that we undertake research to try to understand which of these are effective and make a difference to those affected. Research should focus on questions that are important to people with, or at high risk of healthcare associated infections, those who care for them and healthcare professionals who treat, identify and try to prevent infections.
The James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership are running a survey that aims to collect research questions from all these groups. Responses can help us start to identify where there is uncertainty regarding prevention, identification, and treatment of healthcare associated infections and determine if the most important research outcomes have been recorded. This means that if there is no existing research providing a reliable answer, questions can be addressed by future research.
The survey is confidential, we do not ask to record names and all responses will be anonymous. It is possible to submit more than one research question if there are several areas participants see as a priority as the response is free text.
The research will be overseen by a representative from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). You can read more information about the partnership conducting the research at https://sites.google.com/site/jlapsphcai/
Contact details for further information
Anyone interested in being further involved in the process, can email Dr Kurinchi Gurusamy (k.gurusamy@ucl.ac.uk) with the subject of the email: 'Further participation in James Lind Alliance'.
Survey link: https://sites.google.com/site/jlapsphcai/
James Lind Alliance website: http://www.lindalliance.org/
Further information from MRSA Action UK: http://mrsaactionuk.net/jla.html
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