What specific data relating to hospital-acquired infections is held by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health.

The Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health holds data about cases of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), including MRSA bacteraemias (blood borne infections), and of other bacteraemias detected in laboratory specimens examined in Scottish public health and hospital laboratories. Infections in these groups may have been acquired while the infected person was in hospital or may have been present on admission. It is not at present possible to distinguish and count separately those infections acquired in hospital.A sub-group of the Health Department's Advisory Group on Infection has been developing plans for a national surveillance system for HAI, including MRSA, in Scotland. The group is expected to provide recommendations to the department shortly. The sub-group recognises the priority that needs to be attached to infections caused by MRSA. Once their report is received, I will be considering what further steps are needed to introduce surveillance of HAI across Scotland. On present plans, systematic collection throughout Scotland of information on selected infections attributable to MRSA would begin in autumn 2001. Monitoring data would become available approximately a year later.