University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust recently saw a cross-team collaboration which led to the successful rollout of near-patient CPE testing with rapid PCR diagnostics for stroke patients. Consultant microbiologist Dr Natasha Ratnaraja and clinical scientist infection specialist Katie Jones describe how this new technology has benefitted the high-risk care pathway.
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust is a regional centre for stroke care, handling a steady influx of patients transferred from neighbouring hospitals. This high volume of admissions makes fast and effective infection control vital to protect specialist bed capacity and avoid treatment delays. Rapid screening for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) and other drug-resistant organisms plays a key role in this effort.
The introduction of rapid testing has streamlined patient triage, accelerated clinical decision-making, optimised side-room use and reinforced antimicrobial stewardship best practices. The initiative has also strengthened outbreak responses and improved continuity of care between trusts, highlighting the broader reach of rapid diagnostics in managing drug-resistant infections.
Urgency of CPE
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