Cases of MRSA infection have fallen to zero at Barnet Hospital.

Figures released this week show there has been no hospital-acquired MRSA blood infection cases since July at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Wellhouse Lane hospital.

There were 21 cases between April and July. The trust reported 52 cases of C.difficile infection from April to October this year compared to 255 in the same period last year.

MRSA infections are counted as when the superbug has entered the bloodstream. MRSA can also be found on the skin without causing an infection.

In July last year the Healthcare Commission revealed it found serious breaches of the Hygiene Code during an inspection in June, and the trust became the first in the country to be issued with an improvement notice.

The report said the trust failed to assess the risk of infections, provide isolation facilities and ensure that basic standards of cleanliness were being met.

A follow-up inspection in October last year found that these issues had been resolved.

This week, the trust’s director of nursing, Louise Ashley, said: “It has now been 75 days since we have had a hospital-acquired MRSA blood infection. We have taken significant steps to tackle infections and have introduced wide-ranging measures to beat MRSA and C.Difficile. We are delighted that all our hard work on infection control continues to pay off.

“We have seen a significant reduction in the number of new cases of C.Difficile and we are continuing to hit the 60 per cent reduction target.”

Ms Ashley added that 3,000 clinical staff had received specialist infection control training and the trust had achieved the target set by the Department of Health to complete a deep clean programme by the end of March this year.

She added: “We have a rigorous and proactive cleaning regime in place. The trust will continue a rolling deep cleaning programme throughout the year.

“We want to reassure our patients and their families that we continue to do everything we can to combat healthcare associated infections. All staff continue to work very hard to maintain the highest possible standards of care.”