Causes of death are classified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the current version of which does not have a specific code for MRSA. However statistics on deaths where MRSA was a contributing factor can be obtained by identifying deaths registered with specific conditions likely to be linked with MRSA and then checking whether MRSA was recorded on the death certificate.
The following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years, 2001-05, where MRSA was mentioned on the death certificate. The figures relate to all deaths where MRSA was mentioned on the death certificate, regardless of whether it was the primary cause of death or not. Figures are classified by place of death, which need not be the place of infection.
Place of death 2001 2002 2003 2004 20052 Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 1 7 1 4 4 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 1 1 4 7 7 Causeway HSS Trust 1 1 1 — 3 Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust 1 7 2 5 9 Down Lisburn HSS Trust — — 2 2 4 Green Park HSS Trust — — — — 1 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust — 3 3 1 6 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 2 — 1 — 1 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 2 1 2 4 6 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 1 — 2 5 3 Ulster Community and Hospitals HSS Trust 6 4 1 2 8 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 1 1 4 4 5 Other1 1 1 7 10 12 Total 17 26 30 44 69 1 Other place of death includes deaths in Nursing Homes or in the home. 2 Provisional data.