[holding answer 23 April 2007]: As part of the Saving Lives programme, which is designed to support national health service trusts in reducing healthcare associated infections like methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), high impact interventions have been developed. The high impact interventions are simple evidence based tools. They reinforce the practical actions that clinical staff need to undertake every time for key procedures in order to significantly reduce healthcare-associated infections including MRSA. They cover preventing the risk of microbial contamination (which includes hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, aseptic technique and safe disposal of sharps), central venous catheter care, peripheral line care, renal dialysis catheter care, preventing surgical site infection, care of ventilated patients and urinary catheter care.
The Department also published enhanced advice on screening, including decolonisation, in November 2006.
The Rapid Review Panel (RRP) has reviewed two hydrogen peroxide vapour products and recommended that both products have potential value and that in use trials are now needed. Trials have been undertaken within the national health service and these products have been utilised in outbreak situations.
It is not known how widely hydrogen peroxide vapour is used in the NHS. The NHS does not collect data regarding the usage of products by individual trusts or collectively for the NHS. NHS trusts are free to choose which products to purchase and will maintain their own records.
The Department is liaising with all the bodies which play a role in the assessment of innovative products about how the Department might best assist the take-up of products that have a favourable RRP recommendation. Discussions are at an early stage. Ultimately, they will include how innovative products are assessed for cost-effectiveness and their impact on services, thus creating a more streamlined process.