by Nadia Sam-Daliri Pioneering technology targeting MRSA was hailed as the key to stopping the superbug by the health secretary, during a visited to the borough s hospital today. Cabinet minister, Alan Johnson was shown new cleaning and r

by Nadia Sam-Daliri

Pioneering technology targeting MRSA was hailed as the key to stopping the superbug by the health secretary, during a visited to the borough's hospital today.

Cabinet minister, Alan Johnson was shown new cleaning and robotic devices at St Mary's Hospital, in Praed Street, Paddington, which health bosses say have led to a 62 per cent reduction in the superbug from four years ago.

Mr Johnson admitted that the superbug was one of the biggest problems to hit the NHS in recent times.

The hospital was one of seven trusts in the UK to trial the new equipment for the infection that has taken hundreds of lives prematurely.

Mr Johnson said: "[MRSA] is a huge problem. It wasn't the priority it should have been. But [the government] has made the issue transparent and open.

"The importance has been placed on cleaning. Cleanliness is next to godliness as far as the NHS is concerned. It does include the education of people too. Some are disappointed if they don't walk out of their surgery with a drug."

Nurse Karen Richard, in charge of Education and Practice Development at St Mary's, said: "We've had no MRSA on the Albert ward for 16 months. That's a very good record because a lot of our patients are elderly and high risk. Our hospital is very diverse but people adhere to the rules and are very cooperative."

For an update see the Times on Thursday.

nadia.sam-daliri@archant.co.uk