HOSPITAL bosses at the Royal Bolton are celebrating after the trust went a year without any of its patients contracting superbug MRSA in their blood.

But they have also recorded a series of ‘lapses in care’ which meant a patient was diagnosed with the infection in January, which broke the streak. Now they have vowed to improve their actions in the future.

The trust went 366 days between January 3, 2014, and January 4, 2015, without any MRSA bloodstream infections, before a patient tested positive for the infection.

After an investigation, it was uncovered that a series of blunders meant the patient — who was infected with the superbug when they were admitted — wasn’t started on treatment for MRSA for three weeks, which allowed the bug to develop.

Bev Tabernacle, acting director of nursing, said the trust had worked hard to prevent the risk of infection to vulnerable patients while they were treated in hospital.

She said: “We were very pleased to go a whole year without an MRSA infection. We achieved this by having a real focus on preventing hospital acquired infections across the organisation.

“This has included the provision of additional training, screening, and reviewing our infection control processes.

“The trust also complies with the delivery of aseptic non touch techniques when undertaking certain clinical procedures.

“Regrettably we had one case just after the MRSA-free year, but have not had any further cases.”

MRSA is a type of bacterial infection that has evolved to become resistant to common antibiotics, which make it difficult to treat.

Patients affected become more susceptible to more serious infections, which can become life-threatening if left untreated.

A report to the board of directors meeting, held this Thursday, said a patient tested positive for the superbug on January 4 this year.

They were known to be MRSA positive when they were admitted, but a ‘communication breakdown’ between the Infection Prevention and Control Team and the ward meant this result wasn’t acted on for three weeks.

Records on theblood test were also missing.

Derek Butler, chairman of MRSA Action UK, said nationally there has been an increase in the number of MRSA infections over the past two months, in a ‘worrying trend’.

He said: “Every credit to the Royal Bolton for going for a year without a bloodstream infection, but they need to look at the breakdown in the system and make sure this can’t happen again.

“Communication is key, because clinicians need to know if a patient has MRSA, to show it up and flag it to the right person so the necessary action can be taken.”