Freedom of Information

The type and number of tourniquets used for venepuncture and cannulation annually in your Hospital Trust, specifically whether you use single use (disposable) or reusable tourniquets and what material they are made out of.

If you use a mix of both, whether there is there any Trust policy for deciding which tourniquet to use.

When you first introduced single use tourniquets, if you do use them.

The cost per single use tourniquet/other type of tourniquet you use (or total annual cost)

The MRSA infection rates at your Trust, for three years either side of your introduction of single use tourniquets, referring to bloodstream infections (bacteremias) rather than surface carriage

Whether you implemented any of the following infection control procedures within the same year as implementing single use tourniquets:
• Stricter hand hygiene policy
• Staff education programme on infection control procedures
• Screening of patients for MRSA on admission to hospital
• Isolation or decolonisation of patients who tested positive for MRSA