Old drugs, dust and infection risk at hospital

Published on Monday 19 April 2010 22:32

A DAMNING report into a hospital's infection control has highlighted a series of failings putting patients' health at risk.

The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) criticised the unchecked movement of staff and patients between isolation wards, dust in corridors due to refurbishment and out-of-date medicines in the refrigerator at Borders General Hospital in Melrose.

It was also found that indicator tape, which lets staff know equipment had been cleaned, was being incorrectly used.

The inspectors made 13 requirements and four recommendations for improvement, although on an unannounced follow-up inspection they found the hospital had already made good progress.

The HEI was particularly damning about ward eight, where they "found no consideration of risk in relation to visitors, staff or patients, their condition, their effects on other patients and the environment".

HEI chief inspector Susan Brimelow said: "During the announced inspection undertaken on March 4 and 5, inspectors became aware of ineffective communication between senior management, the infection control team and ward staff and observed poor infection control practices.

"This led me to have significant concerns around risk assessment and patient management in Borders General Hospital."

Ms Brimelow added: "To ensure patient safety was not compromised, I asked the inspectors to make an unannounced inspection of specific areas of the hospital on March 24 and I was pleased to see that NHS Borders' staff had taken immediate action around the concerns raised following the announced inspection.

"We fully expect the report's requirements and recommendations, which have been agreed by senior staff at NHS Borders, will be addressed as a matter of priority. We will be closely monitoring that NHS Borders deal with these matters as a priority over the coming months."

Calum Campbell, chief executive of NHS Borders, said patient safety was the "number one priority".

He added: "All NHS Borders staff work hard to ensure we maintain the necessary standards of cleanliness and hygiene to minimise the risk of healthcare associated infection."

We recognise there are areas where we need to make further improvement and we have already put a comprehensive action plan in place."

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon added: "It's plain that urgent improvements are necessary at Borders General Hospital, and I expect this report to act as a catalyst for immediate change."