New pandemic record for hospital-acquired covid rates

In the week to 13 March, 25 per cent of all covid-positive patients in hospital had probably caught the virus after being admitted, according to official definitions.

The total number of probable hospital-acquired covid infections is not as high as in previous waves, but the proportion of total covid patients is a new pandemic record.

The previous high was 24 per cent in December 2020.

Some individual trusts appear to have had significant outbreaks on the wards.

For example, 67 per cent of 127 covid patients recorded at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust in March were probably hospital acquired. At East Cheshire Trust, 61 per cent of the 90 covid patients in the first half of March were probably hospital-acquired infections.

A statement from East Cheshire Trust said: “The safety of our patients, staff and visitors is our top priority. The trust follows national guidance for all its infection prevention and control measures and has rigorous protocols in place to identify and manage infections effectively and to minimise any potential risk to others.”

Scarborough Teaching Hospitals was also contacted for comment. 

Covid cases defined as ‘probably’ hospital acquired – defined by NHS England as being eight days after admission respectively – have been surging again in recent weeks as covid bed occupancy has increased in all areas of the country, reflecting resurging case rates in the community.

It comes as NHS England officials have come under increasing pressure from government ministers and some senior clinicians to relax national guidance on infection control, which are taking large numbers of beds out of action.

This has included reducing physical distancing requirements from two metres to one metre between patients without suspected or confirmed respiratory infections, and relaxation of guidance on covid-specific care pathways

An NHS England spokesman said: “The ONS and other data conclusively demonstrate that the root cause of rising infection rates in hospitals is rising rates in the community, so it is no surprise that as the Omicron wave has increased covid cases, this is also reflected in hospitals, and all staff continue to rigorously following UKHSA infection prevention control guidance.”

Amended at 3.01pm, 18 March to add comment from NHS England and at 2.06pm, 21 March to add comment from East Cheshire Trust.