The Canadian National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health gives five reasons for the spread of infectious pathogens: crowding, contact, cuts or abrasions, contaminated surfaces, and lack of cleanliness. High hospital bed occupancy is a major factor in the first two, and insufficient front line staff largely determines the last two. A recent UK study found that hospitals with occupancy levels over 90 per cent can expect a 10.3 per cent higher MRSA rate. In 2005, Canada’s bed occupancy rate was 95 per cent.
“Canada has one of the highest bed occupancy rates in the OECD, but we’re still adding fuel to the HAI fire by cutting back on cleaning staff and contracting out services to the lowest bidder,” said Louis Rodrigues, First Vice-President, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/Canadian Union of Public Employees (OCHU/CUPE). “Let’s learn from the UK, reduce occupancy rates and bolster in-house cleaning services.”
via CUPE: Cut and Crowded, Ontario Hospitals Falling Behind UK in Combating Infections.
