HOSPITAL INFECTION DEATH No 5
Pressure builds for SNP Government to launch inquiry into NHS hygiene standards
DEMANDS for a full inquiry into NHS hygiene standards grew again yesterday as it was revealed a fifth patient had died after picking up an infection in hospital.
They passed away at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, which is run by the same health board involved in three other outbreaks since December.
Opposition politicians called for an urgent inquiry.
PRESSURE was last night mounting for a Government-led investigation as it emerged a fifth patient had died after contracting a hospital-acquired bacterial infection since December.
This time, the outbreak was in the intensive care unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, run by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – the same board involved in the other four deaths.
Two other patients also tested positive for stenotrophomonas maltophilia.
Health Protection Scotland is understood to have been told about the outbreak on Tuesday.
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed a patient had died and two others were infected.
She said: “Control measures were put in place immediately.
“Sadly a patient, who was seriously unwell from their underlying condition, has died and a bacterial infection was one of a number of contributory factors.
“A second patient has been treated and is recovering and a third patient has not required treatment and is stable from an unrelated condition.
“Patients in the unit have been screened and tests proved negative. There have been no further cases.”
It is the fourth infection outbreak in Scotland’s hospitals in two months.
Last week, we told how two premature babies died after contracting staphylococcus at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow. A third baby is stable after being infected with the blood infection.
A week earlier, a patient at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital contracted a mucor fungal infection and was in a stable condition.
A second patient also had the infection but did not require treatment.
In December, a 10-year-old boy died after contracting cryptococcus, an infection related to pigeon droppings, at the QEUH.
An adult who had been infected with the bug died last month, which the board said was of an unrelated condition. The Crown Office is investigating both of the deaths.
Labour’s health spokeswoman
Monica Lennon called the news of the latest outbreak “extremely worrying”.
She added: “The death of five patients and investigations into four separate infections across three hospitals in recent weeks in justifiably causing concern.
“The public need reassurances that the quality of infection control is not slipping.
“People are concerned about cleanliness, hygiene and the safety of our hospital buildings due to ongoing incidents. “The health board and the Government have failed to be open and transparent. “Health Secretary Jeane Freeman must urgently explain what action is being taken to protect patient safety and reduce the spread of further infection.
“There must be an investigation into what went wrong at hospitals across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”
Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said the new cases “paint a very worrying picture around the state of hospitalacquired infections in this board”.
He added: “I call on Jeane Freeman to begin an investigation into NHSGGC’s infection control practices so no other patient or staff member is put at risk and we see no future tragedy.”
Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: “There cannot be any cause for complacency from SNP ministers when it comes to infection control and inspection.
“The Scottish Parliament’s health committee agreed to my request to investigate the recent incidents at Queen Elizabeth Hospital as a matter of urgency.
“That may have lessons for all hospitals and NHS boards.
“The families involved will have questions that deserve to be answered but so, too, will the patients, visitors and staff who use the hospitals on a daily basis.
“They will be extremely concerned at this latest outbreak and they must be reassured that Scottish hospitals are still safe.”
Freeman said: “My thoughts and sympathies are with the families involved and in particular, the family of the person who has died.
“NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is giving support to the family and have communicated to the other patients and families.
“While there have been no additional infections connected with this incident, a deep clean has been carried out and additional control measures have been put in place.
“Health Protection Scotland is assured that the board has undertaken the appropriate investigation and that control measures have been put in place.”