Government spending cuts within NHS increase risk of Clostridium difficile infection

72% of clinicians believe that Government spending cuts within the NHS increase the risk of hospital acquired infections. The ‘Think C-differently’ report, which advises on the current Clostridium difficile landscape, found that despite stringent measures to manage and control Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), the NHS is still battling to keep infection rates to a minimum.

Mark Wilcox, Consultant Microbiologist, Professor of Medical Microbiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals & University of Leeds: “Rigorous infection control protocols, changes in antibiotic prescribing and heightened awareness have resulted in marked shifts in behaviours. However, transmission of C. difficile, particularly in the hospital setting, is an ever present risk. Complacency and financial constraints are threats to the improvements that have been made in C. difficile control."

Compounding the budget restrictions, financial penalties are imposed on Trusts in England who exceed a target number of cases in a year. 50% of clinicians surveyed believe that financial sanctions may motivate people to under-report cases of CDI, indicating that the true scope of the problem is still unknown.

Despite declining rates of this infection in recent years, 95% of respondents feel that CDI still poses a problem. With the ever-growing demands on the healthcare system, including an ageing population, constant budget cuts are likely to make this management more challenging. Added to this, nearly a third of clinicians surveyed said that cost was a significant driver when considering how to treat CDI.

While a sizeable number of CDI cases may be avoidable, the report revealed that 90% of clinicians do not believe that CDI can ever be eradicated. With new infection strains emerging, 65% of clinicians believe there is still a very real potential of this infection to reach epidemic proportions. In addition, 77% of clinicians surveyed felt that patients could be leaving hospital infected with CDI and 87% of these felt that these people could transmit CDI onto others.

Graziella Kontkowski, Founder of the C-diff Support patient organisation, comments: “Data shows that after steady declines in the number of C. difficile cases, this has now stopped in some areas, prompting concern that complacency is setting in. We are also seeing a shift in CDI being acquired in a hospital setting to a community setting, so we must take our key learning’s from the healthcare environment and apply them here, ensuring clear and open communication to support swift diagnosis and treatment of patients.”

CDI, which results from infection of the internal lining of the colon by C. difficile bacteria, is the primary cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and is a significant healthcare-acquired disease.