485 
Reducing superbug infections has won a Suffolk hospital a £400,000 grant to help it keep up its good work.
West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds has beaten its targets for reducing cases of MRSA and Clostridium difficile.
The NHS Trust received its first part payment last year, and has now been given a further £207,000 after recording only three cases of MRSA infection against a target of seven in the period from October 2007 to March 2008.
In addition, the trust recorded 29 cases of C difficle compared with a target of 36 set by NHS East of England between January and March of this year.
The hospital is using the money to improve its infection control practices with new sensor taps and steam cleaners, as well as hiring more cleaning staff and creating a specialist C difficle unit.
Nichole Day, director for infection prevention and control, said the hospital staff were “delighted” that they had met the challenging targets.
She said: “This is largely down to the dedication and skills of all of our staff, who have championed the hand washing message and shown real diligence in ensuring the hospital is kept hygienically clean at all times.”
Copyright PA Business 2008
