Published: Wednesday, 11th June, 2008 16:45
Breaking news - C-diff at the Vale
By Staff Reporter
Print Article
Sarah McGinty
IT has emerged that 22 patients at the Vale of Leven Hospital have died since December 1 2007 after contracting the deadly superbug C-diff.
The shock announcement follows a series of articles in the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter detailing the tragic stories of families who had lost loved ones to C-diff.
This week we reported calls from the area’s MP and MSP, John McFall and Jackie Baillie, for Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) to come clean about the situation at the Vale.
Echoing the wishes of the grieving families of C-diff victims they urged GGC to end the “drip, drip” nature of the information being released about how many patients had died at the Vale as a result of the bug.
GGC has now confirmed that “the main cause of death” for eight of the 22 patients was thought to be C-diff.
A further eight patients have died where C-diff is described as a “contributory factor”.
The remaining six died of “their underlying medical conditions” but had contracted C-diff.
In the statement GGC describes a series of further actions which will be taken to help control the spread of C-diff at the Vale.
Dr Syed Ahmed, the Outbreak Control Team chair said: “The overall number of C-diff cases within the six-month period is higher on average than we would expect but we are particularly concerned about the number of deaths due to this infection.”
Five families have contacted the Reporter — who have lost loved ones — asking for honesty and transparency from GGC over the superbug situation.
Michelle Stewart — who was speaking on behalf of the family of Sarah McGinty, 67, who died at the Vale on February 1 2008 — told the Reporter: “I think it would have been swept under the carpet, but now because the families have came forward, and the Reporter has covered it, they have had to do this.”
If one of your loved ones has died in the Vale of Leven Hospital this year after contracting C-diff and you would like to discuss your case, you can call the Reporter editorial staff on 01389 763335 or email editorial@dumbartonreporter.co.uk
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