Latest data from the AIHW has revealed which hospitals have the worst rates of golden staph infections in each jurisdiction.
New South Wales’ Springwood Hospital and Queensland’s Joyce Palmer Health Service are among hospitals with the highest rates of golden staph infections nationwide.
The AIHW updated its MyHospitals website with statistics on the number of healthcare-associated staph A infections recorded in 700 public hospitals across Australia between 2021 and 2022.
Joyce Palmer Health Service in Queensland’s Palm Island had the highest rate of infections across all jurisdictions, with 3.08 infections per 10,000 patient days, although only 2 cases were recorded within the latest year of reporting.
The largest numbers of cases in Queensland were at Gold Coast University Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital, with 47 and 46 cases recorded between 2021 and 2022 respectively.
In NSW, Springwood Hospital in the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD had the highest rate of 2.05 cases recorded per 10,000 patient days, while Westmead Hospital reported the highest number of cases statewide with 56 recorded between 2021 and 2022.
Portland District Health recorded the largest rate of infection in Victoria, with 2.48 infections per 10,000 patient days and 3 cases recorded between 2021 and 2022, while the greatest proportion of cases was 27 cases reported at Austin Hospital in Heidelberg.
In South Australia, Northern Yorke Peninsula Health Service had the highest rate of 1.71 infections per 10,000 patient days, despite only one case being recorded within the year. The largest number of cases was reported at Royal Adelaide Hospital with 27 infections between 2021 and 2022.
Collie Hospital had the largest rate of infection in Western Australia with 1.51 infections per 10,000 patient days, although only one case was recorded between 2021 and 2022, while Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth had the highest number of cases with 35 reported within the year.
In the Northern Territory, Katherine Hospital had the highest infection rate of 1.14 per 10,000 patient days and 2 cases recorded, while Royal Darwin Hospital had the largest number of cases with 21 recorded between 2021 and 2022.
ACT was found to have the highest rates of staph aureus infection across all jurisdictions, with The Canberra Hospital having the highest rate among public hospitals within the territory with 1.26 cases recorded per 10,000 patient days.
Rates were relatively low across Tasmania’s four major hospitals, with the highest being at Mersey Community Hospital with 1.10 infections recorded per 10,000 patient days.
However, Mersey Community Hospital also had the lowest number of cases with only three infections recorded between 2021 and 2022, compared to 23 cases at Royal Hobart and 16 at Launceston General.
Overall, 1500 cases of staph aureus were reported in public hospitals nationwide between 2021 and 2022, with an average of 30 cases per week.
Fifteen percent of all staph aureus cases recorded during this time were the result of the antimicrobial resistant MRSA strain, while 85% were MSSA cases.
