Joan Sanderson
5 Oct 2020 · Coroner Alison Mutch · Greater Manchester South
The coroner's concerns
1. lack of routine MRSA swab for orthopaedic patients from care homes or with prior MRSA
“patients being admitted for orthopaedic surgery, from a care home or those that have had a previous positive MRSA result should have a routine swab sent for MRSA on admission to hospital”
2. delayed MRSA identification causing postoperative infection
“Surgery would not be held up awaiting the outcome but it would have allowed earlier identification of MRSA which could impact the outcome in another case where emergency surgery is required and there is an infection post operatively”
3. inconsistent MRSA screening timing across admission types
“Patients admitted for elective surgery have a MRSA swab collected 12 weeks prior and receive decolonisation treatment for a positive MRSA result prior to surgery”