C. diff. cases in West Herts Trust exceed those in hospital trust where 90 died
15th October 2007
Anne Main has today expressed concern at figures which show that cases of the hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) infection are higher in the West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust than those in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.
Anne Main, Conservative MP for St Albans, has today expressed concern at figures which show that cases of the hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) infection are higher in the West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust than those in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, where it emerged last week that 90 people died.
Health Protection Agency figures show that between January and March this year, in patients over 65, West Hertfordshire Trust is the 6th worst of over 170 trusts, whilst Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS is rated 83rd.
Anne said:
"These figures prove that in West Hertfordshire we are amongst the most at risk from C. diff. In 2006 we were rated 17th, but it would appear that we have moved up to 6th worst Trust in the first three months of this year. The Trust needs to reassure patients that they will not be exposed to unnecessary levels of risk and make renewed efforts to prioritise hospital hygiene.
Official figures show that deaths from C. diff. nationally increased by nearly 400% between 1999 and 2005, to the point where, in 2005, more people in England and Wales died from C. diff. than died on our roads.
Sadly, in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells it appears that the absolute need to maximise bed occupancy, cut costs, and turn around a failing Trust led managers to prioritise targets over hospital hygiene.
In February I highlighted the pressing need for the Trust to get a grip on C.diff. These latest figures show that there is still a huge mountain to climb.""
