Leeds hospital blunders revealed in report

Doctor wrongly removed a woman’s kidney after mistaking it for an ectopic pregnancy, a new report on serious incidents at Leeds hospitals shows.

Two patients also received adrenaline overdoses, there was an outbreak of MRSA among new mums and staff failed to respond when a patient deteriorated, according to the document.

It details 16 serious incidents recorded by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in May and June, with 11 of these pressure ulcers.

The report, by chief medical officer Dr Yvette Oade, says there has been an increase since 2013 in the number of serious incidents.

She said: “Whilst this reflects our reporting and learning culture, this is also attributable to a decision that we took to report all category 3 pressure ulcers as serious incidents from January 2014.”

In another incident, a woman was taken to theatre for removal of a suspected ectopic pregnancy, where a foetus implants outside the womb and cannot survive.

Before the procedure, the surgeon did not review a previous scan which showed one of her kidneys was in her pelvis.

“During the procedure the surgeon identified a structure thought to be the ectopic pregnancy, and removed this,” the report said.

However that was then identified as a pelvic kidney. The woman was not found to have an ectopic pregnancy.

After the error, staff were reminded of the guidelines for treating the condition and there was a meeting about the incident.

In two cases, patients were given too much adrenaline – one who was given ten times the prescribed dose then lost vision in one eye. The sight loss was later found to have occurred at the time of the overdose.

In another incident, a patient on the Critical Care Unit had been prescribed adrenaline at a rate of 5mls per hour following surgery, but it was mistakenly given at 50mls an hour. They needed further surgery but later recovered.

A further incident happened when a patient with diabetes began to deteriorate and was supposed to be monitored every two hours, but this did not happen. The next morning they could not be woken and were treated, but there were delays.

The patient continued to deteriorate due to their underlying illness and died the next morning. A post mortem confirming the cause of death is awaited.

There was also an outbreak of MRSA infection of the skin of mothers who had been discharged from the post-natal ward at LGI. Apologies were given to those affected.

In all cases, the incidents were investigated and moves made to prevent them recurring.

This article is courtesy of the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Royal Bolton Hospital could be fined £1.4 million for failing superbug targets

The Royal Bolton could face up to £1.4 million in penalties for failing superbug targets.

The Bolton NHS Foundation Trust — which runs the Royal Bolton Hospital — has already reported 23 cases of superbug Clostridium Diffcile since April.

Between April, this year, and April, 2014, it has an annual target of just 28.

Once the trust hits this, it will be fined £50,000 for every case over the target by the Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group — the organisation which allocates funding for the its services.

This means if the number increases at the same rate for the rest of the year — an average 4.6 cases a month — there will be about 55 cases for the year and the trust will be fined £1.4 million.

Hospital bosses have now launched a £290,000 battle plan to tackle superbugs.

Director of Nursing, Trish Armstrong-Child, was appointed permanently by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust in August and is on a mission to drive down the number of C Difficile cases in the hospital and community.

Simon Worthington, Director of Finance, admitted it was unlikely the trust would achieve this year’s target.

He said: “We have a comprehensive plan to reduce the number of cases of C.Difficile in the best interests of patients and this is now showing results.

“However due to the high number of cases previously, it is unlikely we will achieve this year’s target and may incur financial penalties, which is obviously a concern. However we do have risk management arrangements with the CCG and it is possible in certain circumstances that the total penalty may not be imposed.”

All CCG’s across the UK can impose financial penalties if foundation trust breach certain targets as part of a national contract.

“We have a zero tolerance to hospital acquired infections, and ideally want no patient to get an infection while in the care of the NHS. The target is 28 for Bolton Foundation Trust, and if they breach this target, as per the national contract, these penalties can be applied. We always have joint discussions with the trust to understand the application of any penalties and their impact.”Su Long, chief officer of Bolton CCG, said: “These targets are set nationally by NHS England and one of these targets is the rates of Clostridium difficile or C Diff.

The CCG says it is “impressed” with action being taken to combat superbugs at the hospital and expects the trust to meet its targets next year.

Yet some say the financial penalties are a backward step for hospital finances.

Cllr Andy Morgan, who sits on the health scrutiny committee, said: “We are supposed to all be in this together and imposing fines for breaching a target we already knew we would fail.

“If the CCG is going to impose this fine, I would hope it gives the trust some extra funds to specifically target the C Difficile.

“It’s a ludicrous idea to impose fines like that.”

How the hospital will tackle superbugs THE C-Difficile action plan will concentrate on improving all wards on the A to D block at the Royal Bolton Hospital by January 2014.

So far, the hospital has replaced 107 mattresses, 37 commodes and installed new hand basins and floor laminates at four ward entrances, with another nine to go.

The £290,000 investment has also bought ‘fogging’ machines, which use Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour to decontaminate wards.

Bosses have have also installed sliding doors on older wards.

Ms Armstrong-Child said: “What I am really keen to do is to raise the awareness of infection control in the hospital and bring that message home that it is everybody’s business. It’s not about hierarchy and not just the staff’s responsibility — it’s patients and visitors too.

“We’ve increased the amount of reminders at the entrances to the hospital and wards to reinforce that message because it has to be a constant from everybody. This is not just a 12-month turnaround plan, this is about sustainable practices that will bring down the number of C-Difficile cases.”

The director of nursing has also commissioned an independent review of cleaning practices in the trust.

She added: “Good care is all about the basics and Bolton has had some challenges over the past year.

“The target is a real challenge there’s no doubt about it.”

How Royal Bolton will make improvements

THE C-Difficile action plan will concentrate on improving all wards on the A to D block at the Royal Bolton Hospital by January, 2014.

So far, the hospital has replaced 107 mattresses, 37 commodes and installed new hand basins and floor laminates at four ward entrances, with another nine to go.

The £290,000 investment has also bought ‘fogging’ machines, which use Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour to decontaminate wards.

Bosses have have also installed sliding doors on older wards. Ms Armstrong-Child said: “What I am really keen to do is to raise the awareness of infection control in the hospital and bring the message home that it is everybody’s business.

It’s not about hierarchy and not just the staff’s responsibility — it’s patients and visitors too.

“We’ve increased the amount of reminders at the entrances to the hospital and wards to reinforce that message because it has to be a constant from everybody.

This is not just a 12-month turnaround plan, this is about sustainable practices that will bring down the number of C-Difficile cases.”

The director of nursing has also commissioned an independent review of cleaning practices in the trust.

She added: “Good care is all about the basics and Bolton has had some challenges over the past year.

“The target is a real challenge there’s no doubt about it.”

This article is courtesy from The Bolton News.

Surgeon's £4 million compensation claim against hospital

A surgeon who claims he caught pneumonia while working in dirty operating theatres at Basildon Hospital is claiming up to £4million compensation. Arjuna Weerasinghe, 50, a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, claims conditions at Basildon Hospital were so bad one of his patients died because of a lack of equipment. He also alleges medical instruments were dirty and there was a shortage of surgical masks. He told an east London employment tribunal he contracted antibiotic resistant pneumonia while working in operating theatres at the hospital’s renowned Cardiothoracic Centre, which he said hadn’t been deep cleaned for years.

Mr Weerasinghe claims he was sacked for blowing the whistle after repeatedly raising concerns about poor standards at the hospital, which is currently in special measures.

However, the hospital trust says Mr Weerasinghe was dismissed last November after bosses said he had “misled” them over his illness.

Mr Weerasinghe said: “Instruments were not always available, often had their sterility impaired and inordinate delays were routine when instruments or equipment were required during the operation.

“This initial impression soon turned to serious concern when I realised there were repeated health care failings that affected patients’ well-being.

“I believe my public interest disclosures regarding the unavailability of appropriate equipment and material in this case were a major influence in the decision to investigate and then dismiss me.”

Mr Weerasinghe said one of his patients, known only as RT, died in August 2011 because the hospital’s operating theatre was not properly stocked with equipment. During RT’s surgery the forceps being used in the patient’s chest allegedly broke. Later, when the same patient suffered a bleed, the surgeon asked for an absorption aid, only to be told there wasn’t one available.

RT later died while Mr Weerasinghe was on holiday.

The surgeon said he felt the patient would not have died if the correct equipment was on hand.

Mr Weerasinghe said since joining the trust in 2008, he had raised several concerns about standards at the centre, including instances of power cuts and theatre time being wasted.

He said there were “repeated health care failings on a regular basis” and senior nursing staff were too “frightened” to raise their worries.

The surgeon said he felt his concerns about poor care at the hospital were “ruffling the feathers” of its management.

He claims he was told formal letters expressing his concerns were not likely to be a “good way forward”.

He went off sick after contracting pneumonia in December 2011, the tribunal was told.

Mr Weerasinghe alleged the operating theatre he spent three days working in had not been regularly cleaned for more than three years.

He said he informed the hospital 11 times he felt he had picked up the infection at work because it was a drug-resistant bacteria – the type that evolves in hospitals.

Mr Weerasinghe claims trust bosses used his illness as an excuse to get rid of him because he was whistle- blowing.

He was dismissed for gross misconduct last November after the trust found he had misled them over his illness and refused to meet and discuss his condition.

Mr Weerasinghe, of Canary Wharf, East London, is now suing the trust for unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and whistle blowing.

Basildon Hospital declined to comment until the hearing concludes.

The tribunal continues.

This article is courtesy from The Echo.

Children left disabled by meningitis after GPs failed to diagnose them are paid £28m in compensation

Millions of pounds a year are being paid out in compensation for childhood meningitis cases missed by GPs, new figures have reveal.

Between 2008 and 2012, at least £28 million was given to families of children left permanently disabled as a result of GPs’ failure to diagnose the deadly infection, or refer suspected cases for emergency treatment.

The Medical Defence Union, which made the payments on behalf of doctors in its insurance scheme, issued the alarming statistics recently as a warning to members of the dangers of missing meningitis.

One case involved a sum of £2.5million following a failure to refer a four-year-old child to hospital by a GP working out of hours.

The child was later diagnosed with meningitis B and suffered severe disabilities, including the loss of a leg.

The MDU said it is not unusual for cases to settle for well in excess of £1m because of the cost of providing care for disabled patients for the rest of their lives.

Of the 17 claims it settled in the four year period, five involved out-of-hours consultations and two, home visits.

The mounting compensation bill has renewed pressure for the Department of Health to sanction the use of a new meningitis B vaccine, which was rejected in July by a panel of experts on the grounds that it was not cost-effective.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, made up infectious disease experts, ruled against the life-saving jab and said more research was needed to confirm it was worth the cost of giving it to all infants.

But meningitis charities last night said the soaring compensation pay-outs highlight the need for the vaccine to be introduced immediately.

‘We think this strengthens the argument for the vaccine to be introduced as soon as possible,’ said Linda Glennie, head of research and medical information at the Meningitis Research Foundation.

‘We know from our own research that 50 per cent of children with meningococcal disease are sent home the first time they see their GP.'

‘Yet these compensation payments are not included in the cost-effectiveness analysis on the vaccine.’

The Foundation says millions more have been paid out by NHS hospital trusts over the last decade for children and adults harmed by failure to spot meningitis.

It says that money came from funds that would otherwise have been spent on patient care.

In 2011, schoolgirl Lydia Cross won a £1.78m payout after losing both her legs as a baby when a GP refused to carry out a home visit, despite pleas from her parents Tony and Jodie Cross, from Braunton in Devon.

Lydia - now aged 12 - hopes to take part in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, racing the 100 metres on blades similar to those made famous by South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius.
Dr Sharmala Moodley, deputy head of claims at the MDU, said: ‘Meningitis is thankfully a rare disease, meaning most GPs will only see one or two cases in a lifetime of practice.

‘But failure to diagnose it can have devastating consequences for patients, some of whom will suffer irreversible injuries such as brain damage, loss of limbs and organ damage.'

‘This is reflected in the high costs of compensation payments, especially where cases involve children who may need care for many years to come.’

She said GPs faced a major challenge because the early features of meningitis are often the same as those of minor viral illnesses.

A vaccine against the meningitis C strain, introduced more than a decade ago, is thought to have saved thousands of lives.

But the deadly B strain still strikes around 1,800 people a year, killing one in ten. The vast majority are children under five.

Tests suggest the vaccine, called Bexsero, is effective against 73 per cent of the different subtypes of meningitis B.

This article is courtesy from the Daily Mail.

Major Hepatitis C alert: gynaecologist could have infected thousands of women

Thousands of women across England are at risk of developing the blood disease hepatitis C after it was revealed that two patients have been infected by a retired gynaecologist and obstetrician.

A major alert is under way after it was discovered that the retired obstetrics and gynaecology worker unknowingly had the virus while employed by the NHS for decades.

It is known the healthcare worker infected two patients with the virus while working at a hospital in Wales, Public Health England (PHE) said.

At least 3,000 former patients are being contacted by letter informing them of the risk and a series of confidential helplines and a support service have been set up.

Several hundred patients in other areas of Wales who may have come into contact with the health worker are also being contacted.

In England around 400 former patients are being contacted, while urgent steps are being taken to check historic patient records in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This article is courtesy of The Telegraph.

Glasgow hospital told to improve on infection control

Action must be taken to improve standards of infection control, cleanliness and hygiene at Glasgow’s Victoria Infirmary, according to hospital inspectors.

The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate has published a report based on unannounced visits to the hospital in July.

The HEI said NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which runs the hospital, was complying with the majority of required standards on infection prevention.

However, inspectors found further improvement was required in six areas. In particular, it needed to ensure that a managed environment was demonstrated in the hospital’s ward south 2 to minimise the risk of infection.

“During the inspection, we found that over a period of time, there were recurring issues on ward south 2 with cleanliness of patient equipment, sharps and waste management,” the report stated.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been given six requirements and one recommendation that it must act on by the inspectorate. This represents an escalation from the last time the HEI inspected the Victoria Infirmary in February 2012, when it made three requirements and one recommendation.

In particular, the HEI said the board must ensure that a managed environment is demonstrated in ward south 2.

The report also said the board must ensure staff implement standard infection control precautions, particularly sharps management, waste segregation and the use of personal protective equipment.

Where a peripheral vascular catheter is in place, staff must be made aware of the local policy when completing the accompanying care bundle documentation, the report said.

In addition, it noted that the board needed to follow guidance for neonatal units and adult paediatric intensive care units to minimise the risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection from water.

It must also ensure compliance with NHSScotland cleaning services specifications and ensure staff fully implement operating procedures for cleaning patient equipment.

HEI chief inspector Susan Brimelow said “We have identified six high priority requirements that we expect NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to address within the month.

“These include a requirement that staff follow the correct procedure for cleaning patient equipment, which we also identified as a requirement in our two previous inspections of the hospital.”

The Royal College of Nursing noted that the report came against a backdrop of significant cuts to the nursing workforce in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and cuts to national level infection control budgets.

RCN Scotland associate director Norman Provan said: “As ever, it is a complicated picture and the many factors behind the problems highlighted in this report need to be examined by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, in conjunction with staff, to ensure that they are rectified as soon as possible and patient care is not put at risk.”

Mr Provan added: “It is important that senior charge nurses are given the time and authority to co-ordinate the infection control processes within their clinical area.

“We understand that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are intending to increase the time available for senior charge nurses to perform this crucial role,” he said.

This article is courtesy from the Nursing Times.

A young mother almost died of a flesh-eating bug just days after giving birth to her ‘miracle’ baby

A young mother has told how she was almost killed by a flesh-eating bug just days after giving birth to the “miracle” baby she never expected to see.

Linzi Christie briefly experienced the best moments of her life as she cuddled her newborn daughter at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Days later she was fighting for her life in the intensive care ward after necrotising fasciitis left her with a gaping wound in her abdomen bigger than a football.

Medics had to use a special vacuum machine to hold the wound together and give Linzi, 25, a chance of recovery.

The care home worker from Methil, Fife, is now recuperating at home with baby Tiffany, looked after by partner Kaps Jadav, 30.

But Linzi, who also suffered MRSA, during her ordeal blames dirty conditions at the controversial Victoria Hospital for her ordeal and is planning legal action.

The hospital has confirmed that it suffered three cases of flesh-eating bugs among patients in recent months but insists standards of cleanliness are above national standards.

Linzi was convinced she would never have children because of underlying health issues so she and Kaps, her partner of three years, were delighted when Tiffany was born on July 11.

Linzi said she noticed a “dirty, rotten” smell in the operating theatre at the time of her Caesarean section. She also claims a medic was applying so much pressure during the operation she feared her “back would break” and insisted he stop.

Tiffany was born healthy and the family enjoyed the first five days of new life back at home.

On July 16, Linzi was readmitted to hospital after she noticed her Caesarean scar was red and inflamed. She was given antibiotics and sent home but two days after that the wound had started to turn black.

Linzi said: “I had no idea what was going on, it was really terrifying. The doctors were in and out doing tests before they said I was going to need surgery.

“When they mentioned necrotising fasciitis it totally hit me. All I could think was ‘my bairn, I should be at home with my bairn’.

“We should have been bonding but I had to be away from her and was facing really serious surgery.

“The first thing I asked the doctors was ‘Am I going to die?’

“The whole time all I could think about was my wee baby, I’d only just met her and now had to have parts of me cut away so I wouldn’t die.”

Linzi needed three separate operations to cut away huge areas of infected tissue before the disease could spread and kill her. The emergency surgery saved her life but left her with a 28cm long hole that could only be “sucked” shut with a special “vat pac” machine.

As well as fighting necrotising fasciitis, Linzi contracted MRSA while at the Victoria and suffered a high fever.

She spent a further week in hospital, during which she was not allowed at any stage to see her baby.

Linzi said: “I knew I had to survive, I had to fight for my wee girl and now that the first round is over, I want to find out why this happened to me.

“Tiffany really is my little miracle baby. I never in a million years thought I would ever have children but then it finally happened.

Linzi believes she contracted the infections from a dirty operating theatre.

She said: “When I went in for my C-Section I noticed a really disgusting smell in the theatre. It was a dirty, rotten smell, like nothing I’ve ever smelt before.

“All I’m saying is that I was healthy before I went into hospital apart from the gestational diabetes caused by pregnancy but I really controlled that and I was only borderline anyway.

“Something made this infection happen and I want to know why.

“To get two types of infection while in a hospital is absolutely shocking and outrageous. It’s a brand new wing, with new equipment and yeah they have staffing problems but you never expect something like this to happen to you.”

Linzi believes at least one of the other two cases of necrotising fasciitis also involved the maternity unit. She said: “A midwife on the ward told me that another woman who had had a C-section also got the bug.”

A spokeswoman for Health Protection Scotland, the government-funded body which advises on disease prevention, said it was possible for the necrotising fasciitis bacteria to originate in the hospital environment.

She said: “We all have the organism which can cause the infection inside our bodies but there a different strains of it which can come from elsewhere.

“Without knowing the exact strain of the organism, we cannot say whether the infection came directly from a hospital or within the patient’s body itself.”

NHS Fife have confirmed that there were three cases of nectrotising fasciitis at the Victoria in “recent months”.

They said all the cases occured in patients with other major conditions and “there is no undue cause for concern”.

Dr Scott McLean, Executive Director of Nursing, said: “NHS Fife, like all NHS Boards, monitors the cleanliness of our hospitals closely.

“We participate in the National Monitoring Framework for NHS Scotland National Cleaning Services Specification.

“Recent reports show that we have exceeded the 90% compliance national target, with 96.9% achieved during January – March 2013 and 97.1% achieved during April – June 2013.”

The Victoria has attracted controversy ever since opening its doors in January 2012 after a £170m rebuild.

The hospital has been hit with more than 350 complaints from patients and is being sued by 10 of its own staff for negligence.

One woman, Lisa McNeil, 25, claims she was forced to give birth outside the hospital on the freezing pavement after staff failed to answer the buzzer at the maternity ward entrance.

Another patient, Cecilia Fisher, a 51-year-old from Cowdenbeath, died after staff allegedly failed to diagnose her ruptured bowel.

This article is courtesy of Deadline News.

Hospital bug victim 'warned ward staff' about hygiene

A woman who died after contracting Clostridium difficile (C. diff) had warned hospital staff about a lack of hand cleaning, an inquest has heard.

Ann Gregory, 81, of Colwyn Bay, was treated at Glan Clwyd hospital in Denbighshire and a community hospital.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) has apologised for an outbreak of C. diff at Glan Clwyd hospital.

North Wales deputy coroner Nicola Jones said the infection was caught in hospital but the death was accidental.

The hearing at Llandudno was told retired teacher Mrs Gregory, who died in December 2012, was "rigorous" about her own cleanliness.
Continue reading the main story   
“Start Quote

    It's not clear as to which hospital she contracted C. diff from, but I'm satisfied it was a hospital-acquired infection”

Nicola Jones North Wales deputy coroner

Daughter Judith Gavin said her mother had been "appalled" by what she had seen during her stay in hospital following a stroke.

At Colwyn Bay Hospital, she complained that people did not take notice of the reminders on the walls urging them to clean their hands.

She pointed out a member of the clergy who had been holding hands with patients while praying and moving around the ward and had told the clergyman not to approach her.

The inquest heard Mrs Gregory later reported him to the ward sister as part of her concerns about cleanliness.

She was also unhappy that her hoist was kept over a chair used by patients with dementia who moved freely around the premises.

Earlier this month the health board apologised for its failure to control infections at Glan Clwyd hospital.
Senior resignations

A report said that between January and May this year there were 96 cases of C. diff infection at the site.

At least seven patients who died were found to be carrying the bug.

It was one of a series of problems which resulted in the resignation of three senior BCUHB figures.

The outbreak followed a period in which C. diff infection rates within the Betsi Cadwaladr board area were higher than in most other parts of Wales.

Deputy coroner Nicola Jones said her colleague, senior North Wales coroner John Gittins, was to meet the newly-appointed infection control officer for Glan Clwyd hospital.

She said she would ask for Colwyn Bay Hospital to send a representative to that meeting.

Mrs Jones said: "Prevention is better than cure."

Giving her conclusion on Mrs Gregory's death, Mrs Jones said: "It's highly unlikely she acquired C. diff in the community.
'Condolences'

"It's not clear as to which hospital she contracted C. diff from, but I'm satisfied it was a hospital-acquired infection."

She said the infection may have been acquired during a delay in discharging her from hospital.

In a statement after the inquest, the health board said: "We would like to extend our condolences to Mrs Gregory's family for their loss.

"We know that patients who are receiving antibiotics to treat conditions such as Mrs Gregory's are more vulnerable to Clostridium difficile and we see higher rates of infections in our older patients.

"We can confirm that a meeting between the North Wales coroner John Gittins, Tracey Cooper, the infection control specialist and Angela Hopkins, director of nursing and midwifery, has been arranged.

This article is courtesy of BBC News.

Aberdeen hospital 'must up fight against infection risk'

Patients at a Scottish hospital were given contaminated baby wipes and cleansing gel to use, according to inspectors.

Healthcare Environment Inspectorate uncovered faults at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and said more needed to be done to minimise the risk of infection to patients, visitors and staff.

Contaminated equipment, including dirty commodes and bed rails, was found in more than one ward at the hospital in the June inspection while baby wipes and cleansing gel provided for shared patient use had dirty marks on the packaging.

Inspectors raised this immediately with the senior charge nurse as "toiletries should be provided for single use and not shared".

Although the wards at the hospital were generally found to be clean, dust was uncovered on curtain rails, bedside equipment and under beds. Clinical gloves had also been put into bins designed for domestic waste.

The report states: "Overall, we observed good compliance with standard infection and control precautions during this inspection. However, we did find that further improvement is required."

Clinical manager for acute sector Jonathan Lofthouse said the report showed "significant progress" with strong developments taking place at the hospital. He said an action plan was in place at the hospital to ensure improvements were made.

This article is courtesy of the Herald Scotland.

Parents claim son was left brain-damaged after hospital infection

Parents who claim their son was brain-damaged by an infection caught at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital in the 1980s are launching a legal bid for compensation.

Paul Kirtland, now 30, was diagnosed with brain damage at five months old. His parents believe it was caused by klebsiella oxytoca – an infection they claim he caught at the hospital in May 1983.

Now Dushka and David Kirtland are preparing a claim to help pay for their son’s care after their deaths.

The hospital has confirmed it was aware of the infection and five other cases in the 10 months leading up to his admission, but has denied negligence.
 The Kirtlands’ lawyers Blake Lapthorn are investigating three more potential infection cases during the same period, and have called for the families involved to come forward.

Paul was born on May 1, 1983, full-term, weighing 7lb 8oz. He was admitted to the special care baby unit after doctors detected a low body temperature and he developed hypoglycema.

Mrs Kirtland, 59, from Nuffield Road, Headington, said: “They told us he was going to live and there may be some brain damage. We thought we would laugh about that on his 18th birthday.

“When he was five months old I started thinking that he couldn’t see very well. They said he was brain damaged and that he would probably never walk, talk or see.
 “He can walk, he can talk and he can partially see, so it’s much better than the prognosis we were given, but it’s all relative.”

Paul suffers from cerebral palsy, epilepsy and is hard of hearing. He will need a wheelchair later in life.

Mrs Kirtland, 59, said: “I have never gone on and had another child because Paul is a full-time job, but he’s a beautiful boy.

“At the time we decided we were just going to take him home and love him, and that’s what we’ve done.

“But about six years ago I lost my father and father-in-law in the same year, and we suddenly realised we were next on the conveyor belt.

“We are quite certain it was the infection that caused Paul’s problems, and we do feel very let down.”

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust last night confirmed letters were exchanged between clinicians about the outbreak and that it sought advice at the time, but was told by the Health Authority that it was happy with infection control measures.

Medical director Edward Baker said: “The trust will contest any legal claim in this case, as the trust does not believe that Mr Kirtland’s brain damage was caused by the klebsiella oxytoca infection he had whilst he was in the SCBU unit in 1983.

“Unfortunately, Mr Kirtland's long-term problems arose as a consequence of his other illnesses for which he had been admitted to SCBU and which were unrelated to the infection.

“In the 10 months prior to Mr Kirtland’s admission to the SCBU the trust had five cases of this infection in the SCBU unit out of approximately 350 admissions. This is not an unusual infection for babies in SCBU units and the numbers do not show that there was an increased risk of cross-infection.”

The Kirtlands’ lawyer Sue Jarvis said: “If the other individuals affected were to give us permission to access their records it would help us.”

What is the bacteria?

Klebsiella oxytoca is a bacterium which can infect parts of the body including the colon, nasopharynx and skin.

The infection is common in hospital admissions and can be transferred between patients by medical staff.

Most people who become infected are those with weak immune systems, such as newborns and people suffering from alcoholism, diabetes and other diseases.

It can have repercussions such as brain damage and urinary tract infections which can spread to the kidneys and lead to renal failure. 

This article is courtesy of the Oxford Mail.

Does acquiring hospital infections count as medical negligence?

Typical infections are easy to treat with a course of antibiotics but there are certain hospital infections that have evolved to be particularly resistant, which makes them significantly harder to treat. These hard to treat infection, which are most commonly found in hospitals are known as super bugs and include MRSA and C Difficile amongst various others. There are certain patients that are more susceptible to contracting such infections such as the elderly, those with weakened immune systems, those using a drip and those with an open wound. 

When proper measures are taken to maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness then the risk of the infection being spread is dramatically decreased. Those who do contract a hospital infection during their stay may be eligible to claim for compensation on the grounds of medical negligence.

Causes of hospital infections

MRSA has had a lot of media exposure in the last few years and it’s now fairly common knowledge that by following proper hygiene protocols, the spread of common infections can be avoided. However, there are times when the system has failed and outbreaks have occurred and this could have been due to a number of reasons. 

Cleaning regimes, hand washing and sterilization of equipment should all take place regularly in order to avoid an outbreak. It’s also important to diagnose infections fast and treat them properly when someone does become infected. The longer a patient has an infection that is not known about, the longer they have to spread it to other people and, being in a hospital surrounded by the most vulnerable and high risk patients, makes it a very dangerous environment and hard to control. 

Nevertheless, if you can be sure that you or any of your loved ones became infected in a hospital or clinic, then it could be worth discussing your options with a personal injury solicitor.

Scottish NHS & pregnancy negligence

NHS Health Scotland has spent over seventy million pounds settling pregnancy negligence claims in the last three years. Unless something is done, that number will surely rise as another ninety claims are still pending.

Concerned health officials warn that the costs will trickle down and effect care at the patient level. That, in turn, could snowball into even more negligence compensation claims in the long run.

While the Scottish government states that the claims are used as learning experiences, disciplinary action is almost never taken even in cases with large compensation payouts.

Health spokesman Jackson Carlaw had this to say about the situation: "The problem we have is compensation seems to increase without direct accountability; no one is ever disciplined for negligence. This easy rush to compensation will, in the medium term, lead to higher insurance health premiums which NHS health boards will only be able to meet at the expense of front line services."

Genuine claims almost always result in a significant compensation pay out.

Stillbirths and deaths are extremely costly, and physical or mental damage can see the NHS paying for lifetime care of the victim.

Mr Carlaw stresses that too often compensation is used as a way to sweep clinical negligence under the rug. “To reduce the need for claims those responsible should be held to account, lessons learned and procedures changed to prevent repeat incidents," he said.

The NHS denies that compensation is used as a cover for negligence and that hospital boards take safety very seriously.

The Scottish government is implementing a cutting edge safety program in response to the growing claims. It is currently working a program specifically designed for pregnancy and maternity wards.  Rough estimates indicate that those changes in safety procedures could cut the cost of litigation and compensation in the future.

Fight medical negligence with professional personal injury

Do you know that the National Health Service is facing a £16 billion bill to settle clinical negligence claims? This figure, which is more than 15% of the NHS annual budget, has been steadily rising by more than 9% every year. Medical negligence is a medical error caused by a health care provider that results in injury, disability, or death of a patient. It is often referred to as medical malpractice or professional negligence.

Some of the most common medical negligence cases include anaesthetic negligence, birth injuries, cardiac negligence, cerebral palsy cases, wrong cancer diagnosis, diabetes negligence cases, hospital infection cases, delayed diagnosis, nursing negligence cases, and cosmetic surgery cases. Seek the services of a personal injury solicitor if you are a victim of medical malpractice. One can find a wide range of experienced and professional lawyers both online and offline.

Make sure to do a background check on these lawyers before hiring them. These lawyers often have a diverse team that specialize in fetal medicine, pediatrics, gynaecology, and general surgery. A brief discussion with these solicitors will enable you to find out whether you have a claim. For a claim to be successful the patient must prove that they have not received adequate amount of standard care and this has resulted in some harm to them.

Legal action should be initiated within two years of the negligence, else the claim will not be valid. It is always better to make a claim early because it takes anywhere between ten to fifteen months for a case to reach trial. Don’t worry if you don’t have money to make a claim. There are multiple ways to fund your claim without burning a hole in your wallet. Conditional lawyer fee agreements, government legal aids, legal expenses insurance, and private funding are available.

Compensation varies depending on the suffering undergone by the patient. Quantifiable losses like medical expenses and lawyer fees can be fully recovered from the health care provider. Louis Peers, an eleven year old boy from West Midlands, received an £8 million settlement in early 2011 from Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. The hospital admitted to professional negligence and the high court in Birmingham awarded the verdict. A fifty year old woman recently received more than £200,000 compensation for a negligent shoulder operation that resulted in sustained ligament damage.

Living with trauma and disability can be very difficult. Hire the finest personal injury solicitors in your neighbourhood and achieve peace of mind.

'It was a cover-up': Coroner launches stinging attack on 11 midwives who failed to spot baby's infection and then 'conspired to hide negligence'

Midwives face a police inquiry after a nine-day-old boy died a needless and ‘horrible’ death.

Joshua Titcombe was killed by an infection which could have been cured with antibiotics. But hospital staff ignored parents’ concerns, telling his father: ‘He’s fine, it’s your wife you need to worry about.’

At an inquest into the tragedy, coroner Ian Smith considered evidence from 11 midwives working at Furness General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
And in a dramatic conclusion to the hearing he accused them of a cover-up and collaborating over their failure to recognise that Joshua had the infection.

‘Incriminating’ medical notes may have been deliberately destroyed to protect blundering staff and there was a ‘very worrying mark of suspicion’ hanging over why an observation chart went missing, he told the hearing.

Recording a verdict of natural causes, Mr Smith listed ten failings by staff in what he described as an ‘appalling’ case. Yesterday, Cumbria Police revealed a team of detectives was in the early stages of an investigation into the death.

Joshua, who suffered a lung infection and bled to death, would have had a 90 per cent chance of survival if given antibiotics immediately after his birth, the inquest heard.

The baby picked up the infection his mother was suffering from when she gave birth and there were ‘a number of missed opportunities’ to save him.

No doctor saw Joshua until he fell unconscious.

His mother, Hoa Titcombe, had been feeling unwell before and after giving birth at the hospital in October 2008, and was given antibiotics.

Mrs Titcombe, 35, and her engineer husband James, 33, asked staff if the newborn, who weighed just under 7lb, needed antibiotics, but no one took their fears seriously.

She broke down in tears as she recalled how her baby, then a day old, had been cleared to go home but was taken seriously ill minutes before they were due to leave.

'Joshua collapsed,’ she said. ‘He was blue and there were lots of bubbles coming from his mouth. I ran to the corridor and shouted for help. They came and said he was struggling to breathe. I was crying and very worried.’

Tony Halsall, chief executive of the Morecambe trust, said: ‘We know that our apologies cannot lessen the pain and suffering of Joshua’s parents. We have taken all the steps we can to minimise the risk of this happening again.’

Yesterday, a police spokesman said three officers monitored evidence at the inquest, which will ‘form part of the investigation’.

The Titcombes – who have a six-year-old daughter, Emily – have had another girl since the tragedy. Jessica is 20 months.

This article is courtesy of the Daily Mail.