FAMILIES of patients who died in Scotland's worst outbreak of deadly superbug clostridium difficile are planning to meet with ministers and health officials to press for improvements to the NHS.
An inquiry into the outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital, in West Dunbartonshire, which claimed 34 lives, last week made 75 recommendations for improvements.
Michelle Stewart, of the C diff Justice Group, whose mother-in-law Sarah McGinty died of C diff at the hospital, said the campaigners were hoping to meet soon with Health Secretary Shona Robison and Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) officials to discuss further issues.
She said: "Although we really welcome the report and think (inquiry chair) Lord MacLean and his team did a fantastic job, there are still things the families feel need addressed further and that is what we will be using our meeting with the health board and the Government to press for.
"We probably got the answers to why our loved ones died, but we can continue to help bring about changes - and that is what it has always been about for us,"
Stewart said the issues included families taking infected laundry home and "bed-blocking", as many of those who died during the outbreak had been stuck in hospital waiting for care plans at home to be put in place.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said Robison had met with the families twice and intended to meet with them again in the next few weeks to discuss how they would like to be involved in ensuring MacLean's recommendations are fully implemented.
A spokeswoman for NHS GGC, said: "On the day Lord MacLean issued his report, the chairman and chief cxecutive of NHSGGC wrote a latter of apology to the patients and families of those affected by the outbreak and offered to meet with them.
"There has been no response as yet to that offer."
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