The rate of hospital associated infections (HAI) in hospitals is 7.4%, but was almost three times higher in some healthcare facilities, according to the last detailed survey carried out.
The Point Prevalence Survey of healthcare associated infections took place in May 2023 and was organised by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) with other European countries doing similar surveys.
All Irish acute hospitals, that is 50 public and 15 private facilities, took part with the results available via the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Of the 12,587 patients surveyed in that month, a total of 932 had active hospital associated infections with 18 of these having two or more infections.
That puts the percentage of patients with such infections at 7.4%.
However, this is up on the last survey in 2017 when it was 6.1%.
This is because the survey now includes infections as a result of Covid-19 and also ones that originate in long-term care facilities, which previously were not included in the survey.
The top three hospital associated infections were pneumonia at 27%, urinary tract infections at 15% and surgical site infections at 14%.
Covid-19 accounted for 8% of all such infections.
The ECDC estimate that there are almost 44,000 patients with a HAI per year in Ireland.
The survey findings found two hospitals with prevalence over 20%.
Bantry General Hospital at 26.1% and Roscommon University Hospital at 21.7%.
Others with a rate over 10% were:
- Blackrock Health Blackrock Clinic – 10.1%
- Croom Orthopaedic Hospital – 12.5%
- Galway University Hospital – 11.4%
- Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital, Kilkenny – 13%
- Naas General Hospital – 12.4%
- Cork University Hospital – 12%
- Portiuncula University Hospital, Ballinasloe – 12.3%
- St Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny – 10.3%
- University Hospital Limerick – 11%
The hospitals with a 0% rate included:
- Bon Secours Hospital in Co Limerick and Tralee,
- Mater Private, Co Cork
- Aut Even Hospital, Co Kilkenny
- Whitfield Hospital, Co Waterford
- University Hospital, Ennis, Co Clare
- St Luke’s Hospital, Rathgar, Dublin
- St Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire
- Children’s Health Ireland, Tallaght
Hospitals with a low infection rate include:
- Bon Secours, Co Galway – 2.7%
- Beacon Hospital, Sandyford – 3.3%
- Bon Secours, Glasnevin – 3.2%
- Cavan General Hospital – 3.8%,
- Children’s Health Ireland, Temple Street – 2.2%
- Louth County Hospital – Dundalk at 3.7%
- Mater Private Hospital, Dublin – 2.5%
- Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise – 1%
- University Maternity Hospital, Limerick – 2.2%
- Wexford General Hospital – 2.3%
- National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street – 2.8%
- St Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown – 2.3%
The report said: “Many hospitals reported >100% bed occupancy during the study period which represents an ongoing risk to patients.”
On the positive side, it said: “The average proportion of single patient rooms has increased across all hospital types since the last survey in 2017.”
Of the infections, one third were associated with the current hospital, 128% with another acute hospital and 36% with a long-term care facility, such as nursing homes.
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