C diff hospital cleans up, but calls go on for public inquiry

Published on Tuesday 10 February 2009 21:08

A HOSPITAL where 18 people died during an outbreak of the superbug Clostridium difficile has made "rapid and very significant progress", an independent report revealed yesterday.

A review last year found serious problems at the Vale of Leven Hospital in Alexandria, where 55 patients contracted C difficile over six months.

But news that the hospital has acted on concerns failed to subdue calls for a public inquiry into the outbreak – the worst seen at a hospital in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon, the health secretary, yesterday described a follow-up report on progress at the Vale as "encouraging".

The review found that infection control procedures at the hospital had been improved and implemented, including closer monitoring to alert staff to higher than expected levels of infections.

More than 500 staff have attended training sessions dealing with infections such as C difficile and MRSA, while new patient information leaflets have been produced on the bugs.

Antibiotic use – which is linked to C difficile – has been reduced, the report found.

The hospital has also taken action to tackle a shortage of isolation units, with single-bed areas rising from 18 to 23.

Bed numbers have also been reduced in some wards to create more space between patients.

Full hospital refurbishment is due to be completed by May.

Ms Sturgeon said while the findings were encouraging, there was no room for complacency.

"I treat the battle against infection as very much a work in progress," she said.

"We are making progress, but the scale of this challenge means we have to remain very focused on doing the things that need to be done to drive infection rates down over a period of time."

Asked whether the action taken at the Vale of Leven would prevent another outbreak occurring if adopted across Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said: "I would hesitate to say nothing like this will ever happen again.

"I certainly hope that nothing like this happens again and it is my determination and my responsibility to make sure that we do everything possible to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again."

Michelle Stewart, whose mother-in-law died in the outbreak, welcomed the improvements being made at the Vale of Leven.

But she added: "It doesn't answer the questions of what went wrong during the outbreak, what needs to be fixed, so it is not going to save lives."

Mrs Stewart said their call for a public inquiry remained "100 per cent".

Ms Sturgeon never ruled out an inquiry, but said she wanted to wait for the outcome of a police investigation before making a decision.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, whose constituency takes in the hospital, welcomed progress but renewed calls for a public inquiry.

"We need a public inquiry to learn lessons so that other Scottish hospitals avoid a similar serious outbreak."