C diff families outraged over closure threat to labs which detected the bug

Published on Saturday 20 December 2008 18:38

THE families of those killed in the Vale of Leven C diff outbreak were yesterday outraged when it was revealed that health chiefs are considering shutting down the laboratories that detected the bug.

Health chiefs are looking at shutting down the microbiology labs at the hospital that saw 18 deaths from the bacterium that infected a total of 55 people at the Vale of Leven hospital in West Dunbartonshire. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has admitted that officials are looking at closing down the laboratory and carrying out tests for C diff and other hospital acquired infections at another hospital.

"This is totally wrong," said Michelle Stewart, who lost her mother-in-law Sarah McGinty as a result of the infection, which directly caused nine patient deaths and contributed to the deaths of nine others between last December and June.

"At the time the Scottish Government said the Vale of Leven had been underinvested for years. But this is obviously still happening.

"What's going to happen if they need to do tests and get the results. Where are they going to go? It is a total farce."

In August an independent inquiry said there was no clear surveillance system in Vale of Leven, infection controls had failed and there were failings in leadership and accountability.

Jackie Baillie, the Dunbartonshire Labour MSP, said: "Although there were problems with the surveillance system, it was the laboratory that confirmed that these were C diff cases and if they are serious about closing them that is frankly astonishing.

"It is of enormous significance that the very service they are considering closing is the microbiology laboratory that identified the tragic outbreak of Clostridium difficile at the Hospital earlier this year.

"This proposal is plain stupid. I am astounded that it is even being given consideration at a time when we should be ensuring that the detection of hospital acquired infection is swift and robust."

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We are currently examining the provision of laboratory services on the Vale of Leven Hospital site to ensure an efficient and effective modern laboratory service continues to be provided to patients from the local area.

"Microbiology laboratory analysis is essentially a 'cold' specialty where tests take varying amounts of time to be completed. This means that it would be possible to provide microbiology access for Vale of Leven clinicians from another campus. Whilst no decision has been made yet, this proposal is one that will be examined."

Nicola Sturgeon, the Health Secretary, said: "I understand that NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde are reviewing laboratory services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

It is right that the board consider options to maintain and develop an efficient and effective, modern service in the best interests of patients, and that these options are subject to appropriate engagement with stakeholders.

"Patient safety and the confidence of local communities in their health service is of the utmost importance to me. Any decision to close existing laboratory services at the Vale would ultimately be subject to my approval, and I would have to be convinced by robust evidence that such a move was in the best interests of patients and local people."