Hospital superbug Clostridium Difficile, is responsible for over 90 deaths in Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone, a watchdog’s report has shown.
The investigation, which was carried out between October 2006 and April 2007 by the Healthcare Commission, has called the deaths at Kent and Sussex and Maidstone hospitals a ‘travesty.’ |
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It is believed that the disease, which has been linked to three times as many deaths as superbug MRSA, has had two major outbreaks at the hospitals and could have been easily prevented if some basic cleaning and hygiene guidelines had been properly observed. |
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It has been discovered that the hospitals, which are managed by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust, have had a relatively high rate of infection for several years, however no one in the trust or the local health community seemed to be aware of this. It was only during the second major outbreak of the disease, when over 250 patients were affected, that the relevant authorities were notified.
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Kent and Sussex hospital |
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The investigation has found that from of a sample of 50 patients who died from c Difficile, 80 percent of cases showed signs that the clinical management and monitoring of the disease was unsatisfactory.
The primary areas of concern included a lack of basic hygiene, such as nurses failing to wash their hands, commodes failing to be emptied or cleaned, and beds being too close together, leading to contamination.
During the investigation, the families of 26 patients contacted the Healthcare Commission, unhappy about the level of care being received. They told of how emergency bells, which were rung because a patient was in pain or needed the toilet, went unanswered. Many also mentioned that nurses were telling patients to ‘go in the bed,’ instead of helping them to the toilet. Patients were sometimes left lying in wet or soiled sheets for hours. Families claimed that medication supplements were missed, and equipment which patients have to share, such as Zimmer frames, was left unwashed between patients. |
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Kent and Sussex hospital was singled out in particular for not having sufficient storage space, utility rooms, or hand basins. Conditions such as this aided the spread of the disease, as did the lack of space between beds.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson called the findings of the report ‘a scandal.’ He said: ‘There is no excuse for what happened at this particular trust.’
The report has suggested that the trusts desire to meet financial targets has led to a demise in the quality of care, and accused members of not addressing worries raised by patients and staff. The trust has had a challenging agenda since a merger established it in 2000, however the board has unambiguously stated that its top priority was the safety and wellbeing of patients.
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Beds were too close together in wards |
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However, the fact that it failed to recognise the outbreaks is not consistent with these claims. The report follows the resignation of the chief executive of the Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone Hospital Trust Rose Gibb on Monday (click HERE for more), however the Healthcare Commission have maintained that despite her departure, a full and comprehensive review of the trust's leadership would be carried out. |
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A dirty commode in Maidstone hospital
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The trusts medical director Dr Malcom Stewart maintained the trust had not been adequately prepared for such an outbreak and ‘lessons were learnt,’ adding that the trust managers were trying to ‘juggle with too many balls.’
Due to the nature of the findings, Kent police are investigating the report. They are looking into the possibility that legal action needs to be taken.
Heather Wood, the report’s lead author has maintained that many lives could have been saved if only a little more care had been taken. |
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She said: ‘For many of these patients there may well have been a good chance that they would have recovered if all the relevant steps had been taken.’
She added: ‘I think it’s certainly a call for arms for the National Health Service.’ |
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View the full Healthcare Commision report HERE |
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