PRACTICAL ways of fighting the MRSA superbug were discussed at a conference in the region yesterday.

It is hoped that the conference, in Stockton, organised by the North-East regional branch of the Health Protection Agency, will lead to reduced infection rates for patients in the region's hospitals by the sharing of good practice.

Figures released earlier this month showed that three regional district general hospitals, Harrogate, Hartlepool and North Tees, were among the ten best-performing English hospitals for fighting MRSA.

In general, North-East hospitals have some of the lowest rates of MRSA infection in the country.

Speakers from all over the UK addressed the conference, at the Wolfson Research Institute, at Durham University's Teesside campus.

It was attended by more than 60 North-East doctors, nurses and other health professionals who specialise in infection control.

This is the third year the Health Protection Agency has organised an MRSA conference.

Despite recent figures which showed that the number of cases is decreasing across the UK, there is still concern about this drug-resistant strain of infection.

The figures for the six months from last April to September show 3,519 NHS patients in England were infected with MRSA.

This compared with 3,940 in the previous six months and 3,598 in the same period of 2001.

Presentations at the conference included tips on how to prevent infections and how to reduce the bug's resistance to antibiotics.

Hospitals are also being shown how to improve their methods of collecting information about the bug.

Dr Vivian Hollyoak, HPA director in the North-East, said: "The conference was fully booked within two weeks, which illustrates how determined we all are to tackle healthcare-acquired infection."