HOSPITAL superbugs killed at least five people in Swindon during a single year, official figures have revealed.

But the MRSA figures, only just released by the Office for National Statistics, cover 2002 and the now-demolished Princess Margaret Hospital, which has since been replaced by the Great Western Hospital.

In that 12 month period, 0.4 per cent of deaths at the hospital were down to MRSA or twice the national average.

This meant PMH became one of 51 hospitals in Britain to record five or more MRSA deaths that year.

Andrew Mackinlay, chief statistician at the ONS, warned that the actual number of MRSA-related deaths was hard to determine accurately.

He said: "It should be noted it is not possible to put a firm figure to the

number of people who die from MRSA because people are often very sick with a

number of other conditions, so the contribution of MRSA to the outcome in

any particular case is uncertain.

"The underlying cause of death is most often the disease or injury which may

have complicated the course of the illness."

ONS spokeswoman Deepa Bose explained that the figures for 2002 were the latest available because of the complex procedures, such as gathering inquest records.

In England and Wales, 721 people were struck dead by the infection in the 12-month period covered by the statistics.

Last month, the Government's National Audit Office praised Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust for taking effective action to tackle MRSA.

However, last month the Evening Advertiser told the stories of two women who said they had lost loved ones to MRSA contracted at the Great Western Hospital.

Connie Henderson's father, William Short died of organ failure at 79 at the hospital in March, two days after MRSA was diagnosed. He had been admitted for a stomach operation.

Pearl Symcox of Cricklade, told how her mother, Margaret Eagles, died on February 23, 11 weeks after a procedure to medically clean her big toe.

GWH spokesman Chris Birdsall said Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust had an MRSA rate of 0.14 cases per 1,000 bed days last year against a South West average of 0.20.

Barrie Hudson