MSP: Family heartbroken over C diff death

Published on Thursday 19 November 2009 21:55

AN EMOTIONAL MSP has told of the "heartbreaking" experience of the family of a patient who died in the latest hospital outbreak of Clostridium difficile.

Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie was clearly moved as she recalled how the relatives of a woman who died in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee had contacted her. It emerged last week that five people had died at the hospital, with C diff killing two patients and contributing to the deaths of three others.

Ms Baillie had to pause to compose herself while reading from a letter the victim's relatives had sent her. In it, they raised issues about practices at the hospital and said the outbreak of C diff was "no surprise although very distressing".

Ms Baillie claimed health secretary Nicola Sturgeon's statement on the Ninewells outbreak had been "misleading".

She told MSPs Ms Sturgeon had said that patients and relatives had been kept "fully informed" about the infection.

However, the letter from the victim's family said: "Never at any time were we aware or had been told that it was the virulent 027 strain. This information we have distressingly had to read in our local newspapers."

The family said it was "utter rubbish" to claim relatives were kept informed.

Yesterday, as MSPs debated measures aimed at tackling the infection, Ms Baillie said: "The cabinet secretary told this chamber that patients and relatives were kept fully informed at all times. I am sure she will want to reflect on what NHS Tayside told her as, in the very clear view of this family, this was not the case."

In their letter, the family said they had been "extremely upset by the lack of continuity between staff with their hygiene". As an example, they said a bin in the hospital had an "absolutely disgusting" smell and that when they asked for it to be emptied, they were told to "use the air freshener".

The letter also said that on one occasion when visiting their mother, they had found faeces on the floor and sink in the room and on their mother's night-dress and slippers.

Ms Baillie said the "most basic lessons" from a previous C diff outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire had not been learned at Ninewells. And she added: "This family's experience is just heartbreaking."

She said "some progress" had been made in tackling C diff, with the number of cases falling. But she added:

"Persistent problems remain in some hospitals in different parts of the country."

Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would look at ways to "learn lessons" from outbreaks. She went on: "Since this government took office, rates of C difficile have come down by more than 40 per cent. That's not good enough, but it's progress that Jackie Baillie should've acknowledged more prominently in the speech she made."