Nicola Sturgeon, the Health Secretary, told Holyrood that two died directly from C Diff infection and for the other three it contributed to their deaths, but these had happened within just over a fortnight “and not over a 10-week period as was unfortunately but inaccurately reported” by Tayside Health Board.
But she insisted the actual handling of the outbreak had been good and the Government had moved swiftly to minimise future risk, listing 11 measures put in place since the Vale of Leven outbreak and stressing that the inquiry into the issue had been given the widest possible remit to study any fresh outbreaks.
Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie criticised the “lack of transparency that has characterised NHS Tayside’s handling of this outbreak”, adding: “Patients and their families have a right to know if there’s an outbreak.
“Why – when cases were identified on October 14, 17 and 18 – was someone apparently admitted to the ward on October 19, who then went on to contract C Diff and subsequently died?”
She also asked why NHS Tayside’s “trigger” for declaring an outbreak was three cases, while in other health boards it was only two.
Ms Sturgeon said Labour’s claims did not tally with information she had received from the health board and pointed out that “triggers” varied between hospitals and even between wards, according to a risk assessment.
She added: “Jackie Baillie refers to a case that was reported in the press of a patient being admitted to Ninewells Hospital after the outbreak was declared. The information NHS Tayside has given me is that the patient was admitted to Ninewells Hospital on October 12 and was transferred to ward 31 on October 13.”
“I am advised by NHS Tayside that they kept patients and their relatives fully informed.
“Initial action has, rightly, focused on dealing quickly and effectively with the outbreak,” she said, adding that Health Protection Scotland visited the hospital on October 29 and found that the ward had sufficient control measures in place.
The new Healthcare Environment Inspectorate visited the hospital this week and a deep clean of the ward also took place. “I can assure the families of those that have been so tragically affected that any follow-up action needing to be taken will be acted upon swiftly by NHS Tayside, by the Government,” Ms Sturgeon said.
Tory Health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon asked the Health Secretary if the infection in Ninewells could have been tracked more effectively with an electronic bed-management system, which is being piloted in parts of Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon said: “We will fully evaluate those pilots and take whatever action we consider appropriate.”
The Government has ordered a public inquiry into a separate six-month C Diff outbreak in Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire last year, which killed nine patients and contributed to the deaths of nine others.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Ross Finnie urged the Health Secretary to widen the remit of that inquiry.
Ms Sturgeon replied she had drawn the remit for Lord MacLean’s inquiry very widely to allow him to look at other outbreaks.
She added that the Vale of Leven outbreak went “unnoticed” for several months, while the Ninewells outbreak was identified quickly. The latest figures indicate that the rate of C Diff in Scotland fell by 14% on the previous quarter, from 1152 cases to 996.
