Prescription changes 'cut C.diff'

Older people with serious illnesses are most at risk of developing C.diff

Changes to antibiotic prescribing can halve the rate of some healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), a report has revealed.

Medics at NHS Lothian have piloted new ways of treating patients susceptible to clostridium difficile (C.diff).

Trials at Edinburgh's Royal Victoria and Western General are now to be introduced at a third, Liberton.

Patients who have been treated with broad spectrum antibiotics are at greatest risk of C. diff.

Older people with serious illnesses and conditions are most at risk of developing C.diff infection.

Doctors are asked to be careful with prescribing antibiotics and to think whether patients need powerful broad spectrum ones Dr Dermot Gorman NHS Lothian

Under the new rules, medics review the medication to be given to vulnerable patients.

A paper going to the board, which meets on Wednesday, also quotes independent evidence to show the C.diff rate in Lothian is lower than the Scottish average.

Dr Dermot Gorman, NHS Lothian public health consultant, said: "Doctors are asked to be careful with prescribing antibiotics and to think whether patients need powerful broad spectrum ones.

"A list of antibiotics to avoid was issued and we try to ensure vulnerable patients don't remain on antibiotics longer than necessary.

"The trials were first conducted on selected wards at the Royal Victoria and Western General Hospitals.

"The areas were places where we had previously seen small numbers of cases."

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