A mid-Essex hospital said it has eradicated the MRSA superbug by "ring-fencing" beds in a ward.
The approach involved patients having elective hip and knee replacements at Chelmsford's Broomfield Hospital.
In 1998, all orthopaedic surgery was centralised to the hospital.
After the move, the number of infections acquired by these patients, including MRSA, increased - there were 29 new cases of MRSA in the first year after the move.
Then, in 2000, the 28 beds in the orthopaedic ward were 'ring-fenced' so only patients having elective hip and knee surgery were admitted to the ward.
Orthopaedic surgeon Leela Biant, who took part in the trial, said in the four years since ring-fencing was introduced they had seen no cases of MRSA on the ward at all and added that their same system could be used in other elective surgery units.
Published Friday July 16, 2004
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