Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Partly sunnyNews
| 
Submit Comments
MP to ask questions over C-dif deaths
by Jennifer Williams11/ 6/2008
STEPPING Hill hospital has had more deaths involving superbug Clostridium Difficile than anywhere else in the north west.
New figures reveal that the infection was a factor in 90 deaths at the hospital between 2002 and 2006, compared to just 17 at Tameside General and 34 at Trafford General.
The news gives Stepping Hill one of the highest rates in the whole of the North - and makes it the worst in the region for such deaths.
Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell said he was disappointed by the figures and would be raising the issue with health chiefs.
"It’s very disappointing to see our hospital at the top of this league. I will be asking questions of senior hospital management. This is one list to be at the bottom of," he said.
But Dr Chris Burke, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said that the league table does not give the whole picture. The figures can be misleading, he said, because they record the establishment at which a person died, and not where they contracted the infection. He added: "A recent independent audit recognised a very high level of reporting compliance at the Trust compared with other trusts. The Trust also cares for more seriously ill and older patients than many of the hospitals in the report. This year the Trust has made great strides in reducing the incidence of C Diff and is continuing to do so. We compare very favourably with neighbouring NHS trusts based on 2007/8 figures."
He said an overall drop in the cases of C Diff had been achieved by improving hand hygiene, changing the use of antibiotics, rapid isolation of those with the bug and bringing the hospital’s cleaning team back in-house.
Mike Lappin, who was chair of the Stockport PCT patient forum until it was abolished earlier this year, said the figures were unexpected.
He said: "After all the effort they are putting into it all, I can say I really am surprised. They always tell me they are doing very well and they have weekly meetings about it, so these figures do come as a surprise to me."
Most recent 2 of 2 user comments
12/06/2008 at 08:40
Got an opinion you want to share?| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Exclusive Loan | 7.8% |
| AA | 7.9% |
| Sainsbury's Personal Loan | 8.2% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Lloyds TSB | 8.9% |
| Abbey Personal Loan | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
4.50% |
|
FIRST DIRECT Everyday e-Saver |
1.75% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE Internet Saver |
2.25% |
19/06/2008 at 08:48