MRSA swabs for Hospitals

GPs are often asked to perform MRSA swabs on their patients on behalf of hospitals often as part of an assessment prior to admission for surgery.

It has always been the LMC view that MRSA is not a community problem and that this is not part of core GMS and should therefore not be undertaken without the appropriate funding e.g. a LES.

Hampshire PCT has confirmed to Wessex LMCS that the contracting for secondary care is that the responsibility for MRSA screening and eradication/reduction treatments in those patients rests with the secondary care provider and should not be passed back to the GP for action. We will continue to pres that each PCT will ensure this is part of the commissioning contract with all providers.

If you have repeated problems with this please contact the office for advice.

If you are in Hampshire PCT you may download this letter to send to secondary care providers who ask you to undertake their work for your patients.

FS updated Nov 09