Watchdog to investigate two deaths in superbug outbreak

Published on Thursday 14 May 2009 21:56

SCOTLAND'S health service watchdog is to be brought in to investigate the outbreak of a superbug at a Moray hospital that has been linked to the deaths of two patients.

Two wards at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin remained closed to new admissions yesterday as two more patients were confirmed to be suffering from Clostridium difficile.

One frail elderly patient died at the hospital last month as a direct result of contracting the infection and C difficile has been listed as a contributory cause in the death of another patient who also died in April.

NHS Grampian has rejected claims the health authority covered up the extent of the outbreak. Details of the outbreak were only made public on Wednesday following the deaths of the two elderly patients who were suffering from the bug.

A spokeswoman for Nicola Sturgeon, the Health Secretary, said yesterday that a team from NHS Quality Improvement Scotland would be investigating the Elgin outbreak.

A spokesman for NHS Grampian said the number of patients at Dr Gray's still suffering from C difficile had risen from six to eight.

He added: "The clinical condition of these patients is not giving cause for concern. However, (two] wards will remain closed for new admissions until patients are 48 hours symptom free.

"The outbreak is contained. No other wards in Dr Gray's have patients who have tested C difficile positive."

He added: "All appropriate measures to stop the spread of the virus are in place.