Operations cancelled after hospital bacteria outbreak
●Infected patients are given treatment as hunt goes on for source of problem
A number of patients at a ward in the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh have been infected with bacteria found in a shower and taps.
The infection came to light after a whistleblower contacted The Scotsman to say that all elective surgery had been suspended yesterday and today.
A multi disciplinary Incident Management Team has been deployed, but the source of the infection has still to be identified.
The number of patients affected is believed to be less than five and they are being monitored closely.
Nhs lothian confirmed the patients are suffering from different strains of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginos, which is found widely in the environment, including in soil and ground water. This bacteria thrives in wet places such as sinks, drains, taps and showers. Infections caused by the bacteria can normally be treated with antibiotics.
The latest infection comes after a spate of incidents in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area, including the death of two babies who contracted the staphylococcus
aureus bacterium at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in January.
In December a ten-year-old boy and an adult died after becoming infected with cryptococcus, an infection related to pigeon droppings at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
Professor Alex Mcmahon, director of nursing at NHS Lothian, said: “A very small number of patients in a ward in the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, have been identified with an infection caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginos.
“The cases, which are not linked, continue to be treated and the patients are being monitored very closely. A multidisciplinary Incident Management Team has been established and tests are ongoing.”
He added: “All necessary infection control measures are being carried out in the ward and, as a precaution, also in an adjacent area, to ensure patient safety is maintained.
“Unfortunately this has resulted in elective procedures in the department being postponed.
“We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this inevitably causes our patients and their families, however, above all else, we must prioritise the safety of our patients.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman conceded last month that public confidence in the NHS has been “shaken” by the recent outbreak of hospital infections, but insisted “significant progress” had been made in Scotland in the wake of the Clostridium Difficile outbreak, which contributed to the death of 34 patients at the Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire more than a decade ago.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have been made aware that a small number of patients at the Western General Hospital have been identified with an infection by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginos.
“Our primary concern, and that of the health board, remains the safety and wellbeing of the patients.
“We are in close contact with the health board and we have been given assurances that all the necessary precautions and control measures are in place to ensure patient safety is maintained.
“Patients and their families are being kept up to date on an on-going basis and the health board will ensure that they have the opportunity to discuss any remaining concerns.”