New Figures Show Superbug Challenge For West Hertfordshire Hospitals

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 30th Apr 2007

The just published Health Protection Agency figures for infection rates for Clostridium Difficile (C. diff), the alarming new hospital superbug, show that West Hertfordshire Hospitals had 620 cases among patients over the age of 65. This was the largest number reported of any of the hospital trusts in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

"It is too soon to understand any statistical trends from these figures since it is the first time they have been reported in this way", said Sandy Walkington, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for St Albans. "But they clearly show a real challenge that needs to be tackled. West Hertfordshire NHS Trust has to give local residents confidence that the basic hygiene issues of keeping wards clean and infected patients isolated are being addressed with the utmost vigour, determination and discipline.

"Of course it is difficult to keep hospitals clean and any politician who suggests otherwise is simply sloganeering. That is why the Trust has to demonstrate rigour in all of its management practices and its instructions for medical staff, ancillary staff, and visitors. There can be no excuses for lack of antiseptic gels, dirty lavatories, or failure to isolate infected patients.

"It is particularly distressing for families that patients are infected through no fault of their own and simply because they have come into hospital for treatment. So the Trust must be honest and transparent both with the patients and their families and make extra-special efforts in care.

"The recent shocking and undignified death of St Albans resident Maria Kelly in Hemel Hempstead Hospital seems to show West Hertfordshire to be lamentably deficient on both counts", said Sandy.

"I have sat down with Maria Kelly's family at their invitation. Their description of the way that she was treated hardly bears thinking about. And because Maria was only 62 with a long and happy life in front of her, her case does not even qualify for the Health Protection Agency statistics, which simply address the over-65's who are supposed to be most vulnerable to C. diff.

"I will be working with the family to ensure that they get a proper apology from the Trust for the deeply distressing circumstances of their mother's death. We also need reassurance from the Trust both that C diff is being taken seriously in local hospitals and that basic nursing and care procedures will be enforced to ensure that no other family has to go through a similarly traumatic experience."

ENDS

For more information please call Sandy Walkington on 07802 177317

The full survey is available on the Health Protection Agency website http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/Mandatory_Results.htm