Bacterial Infections - FOI Response Register

1. How many cases of Clostridium difficile had been diagnosed in hospitals in this health board in 2023? Please provide data for each year since 2018.

With regards to Clostridium difficile infections from 2018-2022 then in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 25(1) as the information requested is accessible without submitting a request under FOISA s 1(1). The information you have requested is available here:

https://www.nss.nhs.scot/publications/quarterly-epidemiological-data-on-clostridioides-difficile-infection-escherichia-coli-bacteraemia-staphylococcus-aureus-bacteraemia-and-surgical-site-infection-in-scotland-october-to-december-q4-2022/

With regards to Clostridium difficile infections from Jan-Mar 2023 then in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 27(1) as the information is already intended for publication by Antimicrobial Resistance & Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland within 12 weeks of your request being received, likely in early July.

https://www.nss.nhs.scot/departments/antimicrobial-resistance-and-healthcare-associated-infection-scotland/

This application of this exemption applies as infection control data for all NHS Scotland health boards is published by ARHAI regularly in a standardised format to allow for this information to be accessed without the need for FOI requests.

2. How many (if any) of these cases resulted in death? Please provide data for each year since 2018.

In accordance with FOISA s 17(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it does not hold the information requested.

3. How many of these cases resulted in a person being hospitalised? Please provide data for each year since 2018.

See response to Q1.

4. How many cases of MRSA have been diagnosed in hospitals in this health board in 2023? Please provide data for each year since 2018.

NHS Shetland record data for bacteraemia MRSA which is reported nationally, see response to Q1.

5. How many (if any) of these cases resulted in death? Please provide data for each year since 2018.

In accordance with FOISA s 17(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it does not hold the information requested.

6. How many of these cases resulted in a person being hospitalised? Please provide data for each year since 2018.

See response to Q1.

7. Please provide the data requested above for E. coli bacteraemia and Legionella. Please provide data for each year since 2018.

With regards to E. coli bacteraemia data see response for Q1.

With regards to Legionella then in accordance with FOISA s 17(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it does not hold the information requested as all tests for Legionella are sent to NHS Grampian.

An FOI request to NHS Grampian can be sent to the following address: gram.foi@nhs.scot