A total 368 (41%) care homes in Sussex completed the
questionnaire (50% of nursing homes and 36% of residential
homes). Table 1 summarizes the participating care
homes. A quarter of homes provided care for elderly people
with mental illness. Nursing homes were generally larger
than residential homes. Some homes (7.2% of nursing and
18.7% of residential) had no en-suite toilet facilities for residents.
One hundred and three care homes (28%) reported
having had at least one outbreak of diarrhoea during the
first quarter of 2009, and 18 of these reported having three
or more such outbreaks (an outbreak was defined as two or
more residents and/or staff affected at the same time).
During the same time period, 25 outbreaks of diarrhoea
were reported to the HPU by all Sussex care homes.