To date 168 products have been referred to the rapid review panel. The following table shows this broken down by category of recommendation and product type.
Products Total Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Number received Cleaning products/disinfectants 40 1 4 4 11 13 7 0 0 Surface coating products 24 0 0 11 5 8 0 0 0 Fabrics 8 0 0 1 3 2 2 0 0 Hand cleansing products 9 1 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 Air decontamination products 22 0 2 8 6 5 1 0 0 Other 65 1 7 14 9 16 7 4 7 Total: 168 3 18 38 34 47 17 4 7 Recommendations: 1. Basic research and development is valid and in-use evaluations have shown benefits. 2. Basic research and development is complete but evaluations/trials are needed in an NHS clinical setting. 3. Potentially useful but insufficiently validated, more research and development is required. 4. Not a significant improvement on the product available and it is unlikely to contribute to reducing healthcare associated infection. 5. Insufficient clarity/evidence presented to enable full review of product. 6. An already well established product. 7. The product is not related to infection control procedures.
The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Innovation.
The MRC funds a considerable programme of research that underpins scientific understanding of hospital acquired infections including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other antibiotic resistant pathogens. The programme’s research portfolio includes two relevant projects:
researchers at Nottingham University have found that signalling molecules produced by another bacterium block communication, toxin production and the growth of Staphylococcus; and
researchers at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, have discovered the structure of metallo-beta-lactamases, a ‘superfamily’ of enzymes involved in the development of antibiotic resistance.
These findings are aiding the ongoing search for new antibiotics to control hospital-acquired infections.
The MRC is also currently taking forward discussions with the Health Protection Agency and the academic community on how to co-ordinate and stimulate high impact research in this area.
The Department has for some years recognised the importance of the control of hospital acquired infection, and the threat to public health posed by the increase in antimicrobial resistance. As part of a wide-ranging approach to these issues, the Department set up an advisory group to identify research priorities in 1999. The group’s report, published in 2001, made recommendations for future research that led to a research programme that is currently under way.
In 2003 the Department published “Winning Ways—working together to reduce healthcare associated infection in England”, a report that laid out a strategic approach to dealing with health care associated infections, including recommendations for further research. The report placed particular emphasis on activity aimed at preventing the occurrence and spread of infection.
We do not allocate specific funds to tackle healthcare associated infections as this is part of national health service mainstream activity.