Third baby dies from infection at maternity hospital
Bosses are accused of ‘lack of transparency’ over outbreaks
A THIRD premature baby has died from a ‘rare’ blood infection at a neonatal unit.
The baby died at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow where two other premature infants lost their lives earlier this year.
Health bosses confirmed the third death yesterday but would not say when it occurred, prompting accusations of ‘lack of transparency’.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde also did not release the information to the public at the time of the baby’s death, which is understood to have been several weeks ago.
The health board was previously criticised over its handling of information over the deaths of three patients at the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Two of those patients had infections linked to pigeon droppings. The third had another infection that the board took seven days to tell ministers about.
Such infections should be reported within 24 hours.
An incident management team (IMT) was set up to investigate three cases of the Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection following the deaths of two premature babies at the Princess Royal in January. The third baby has not been identified, although the health board confirmed Staphylococcus aureus infection was a contributing factor in the death.
The hospital said that the source of the infection may never be known.
Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘Over recent months we have seen a lack of transparency in the way these outbreaks and deaths have been handled and reported. Patients and their families will be concerned that information was not being provided to families about what was an ongoing situation, and the fact a third baby had died from the same infection.’
An IMT comprises specialist clinicians, infection control doctors and nurses, occupational health clinicians and colleagues from estates and facilities.
A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the details of the third baby’s death were not released at the time because the board did not have permission from the family.
He added: ‘We have been rigorously managing a number of cases of a rare Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection in extremely premature babies in the neonatal unit of the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.
‘Three babies, who were poorly due to their very early birth, sadly died and infection was one of a number of contributing causes in their deaths. Since early March, no further patients have tested positive for the Staphylococcus aureus infection. A programme of staff and family screening was carried out.
‘This was one of a number of steps taken to respond to this strain of Staphyloccocus aureus. As this was an extremely rare strain which is highly resistant to the two antibiotics normally prescribed and the skin cleaning agent routinely used in hospitals across the UK, we put in place a number of further infection-control measures including the prescribing of different antibiotics and the introduction of a new skin cleaning agent.’
Labour health spokesman Monica Lennon said: ‘The Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, must reassure the public and NHS staff that she has all the facts and is doing everything possible to improve infection control and safety.’
Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said Miss Freeman ‘needs to ensure everything possible is done to try to get to the bottom of how these infections occurred’.
Miss Freeman said: ‘Following the cases of Staphylococcus aureus infection, frontline staff have been working hard to minimise the risk of further infections. A rigorous programme of staff and family screening was carried out and a number of further infection control measures were put in place.
‘The health board continues to be supported by Health Protection Scotland, and its infection control team is working closely with clinical and domestic staff to manage the situation. I require all health boards to make infection prevention and control an absolute priority.’
‘Patients and families will be concerned’