Leeds NHS Trust facing heavy fine over MRSA

The Leeds NHS Trust is facing a potential fine of £400,000 because there have been too many instance of MRSA in its hospitals.

Every time the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust goes over the agreed monthly target of MRSA cases it faces a fine of £100,000 and it has breached targets four times over the past 10 months. The fine will be reimbursed if the trust meets the annual figure of 19 cases, however with two months to go before the end of the financial year there have already been 19 cases so one more will tip the trust over the edge.

The trust has made dealing with MRSA one of its priorities as in recent years it has consistently missed national targets both on MRSA and Clostridium difficile. It has now begun MRSA screening for all acute patients and each case of the infection is closely analysed to assess how it occurred.

Despite this Leeds still had the highest rate of MRSA infection compared to five other similar sized hospital trusts.