Hospital Trust is 

‘Best in the Country’

FIGURES produced by the Department of Health show that Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust has performed better than any other Acute Multi Specialty Trust in the country in preventing infection by MRSA.

Since mandatory surveillance monitoring started 3 years ago the Trust has consistently outperformed other Trusts and this year is 4 times better than the national average. 

Many trusts have concerns that the requirement to reduce waiting lists is leading to higher rates of MRSA. Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust has met all of its waiting list targets and still managed to be the number one performer on MRSA. In a recent statement Health Secretary John Reid said:- “everywhere in the NHS needs to be brought up to the level of the best” 

Commenting on the results, the Trust’s Director of Infection Prevention and Control Dr Geraldine Boocock said:- “We are pleased that the hard work, dedication and tremendous effort that all staff members make in preventing and controlling infection have been rewarded with these figures”. 

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA, is a germ that has become resistant to some antibiotics. It is spread either by contact with someone who has MRSA or by contact with items that have been used by a person with MRSA. It can spread very quickly and may cause infections in certain patients. 

The Trust has implemented a number of measures that help in the fight against infection. The Trust takes a team approach to creating high standards of cleanliness with housekeeping services working in partnership with nursing staff and the Infection Control Team. 

New developments such as the introduction of Domestic Task Teams to work alongside the Domestic Assistants and the Ward Housekeepers have strengthened the cleaning teams and helped to maintain standards of cleanliness on wards. 

Other new developments this year include the setting up of a link infection control worker group to disseminate information about Infection Control and the appointment of a Surveillance Nurse who will help with the collection of data and the feedback of information to clinical staff during educational and update sessions.

The Trust has also been keen to work with patients and has for some time included a member of the Patient’s Group in the Ward Hygiene Inspection Teams. Infection Control Team members also provide information to Patient Group meetings. 

R5 Live’s ‘Any Sporting Questions’ comes to Waterloo

THERE will be a definite Merseyside flavour to next Monday night’s ‘Any Sporting Questions’ on Radio Five Live, (Monday July 19) as not only is the sports debate programme being broadcast from Waterloo Rugby Club in Crosby, but it will also feature such local sporting legends as ex-Everton player Derek Mountfield and Olympic High-Jump Bronze Medallist, Steve Smith. Other panellists will include Former Rugby Union Captain and Coach and Waterloo Director, Dick Greenwood, ex-Waterloo player and member of the World Cup winning England Squad, Ben Kaye, and Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher. 

Chaired by John Inverdale, the programme will be broadcast 8:30 to 10:00pm on Monday night, on 909 and 693AM.

City's wildlife haven protected

ONE of Liverpool's wildlife havens has been awarded one of the highest accolades in the conservation world.

Childwall Woods and Fields for the first time in the twenty year history of the awards was been named a Local Nature Reserve area.

The site has been given the accolade because of its wide range of urban wildlife. This includes small blue, small copper and red admiral butterflies, linnets and sparrow-hawks, English bluebell and southern marsh orchids - Bats, voles and foxes are also regular inhabitants of the area

The LNR status means that the site will have one of the highest levels of protection from development.

Councillor Richard Oglethorpe, Executive Member for Green Issues, said:- "It is vitally important that in a city like Liverpool where such a lot of development is taking place, that we protect areas like Childwall Woods and Fields.

"With its profile heightened, hopefully more and more local people will visit the area and enjoy the natural world that's on their doorstep."

The accolade has been awarded as part of the Liverpool Local Nature Reserves Project, a partnership between Liverpool City Council and The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

BONANZA BOARD GAME WIN AT SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW

A Crosby schoolgirl has scooped a major prize in a Southport Flower Show competition with her garden design based on a board game.

Jessica Davies, aged nine, of Forefield Junior School in Crosby is one of three winners of the David Bellamy Schools' Competition, in association with Pizza Express.

The theme of this year's 75th show is celebrations and thousands of children from across the north west were challenged to design a garden based on a board game to celebrate childhood games.

Jessica's award winning design will now be recreated by experts and turned into a garden for more than 100,000 visitors to see at the four-day event in August.

Jessica will have the opportunity to meet Professor David Bellamy at the show. She will also receive £500 for the school to be spent on playground equipment and £50 worth of vouchers and a board game for herself.

Mr Mark Croot, the Outdoor Environment Co-ordinator at Forefield Junior School, said:- "We are delighted Jessica has won this prize, she is extremely creative and really enjoys her art classes. It's a great achievement for both her and the school and we look forward to seeing the finished design at the show".

This year's Southport Flower Show will take place at Victoria Park on 19, 20, 21 and 22 August.

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