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Pensioner died from MRSA but deadly bug not recorded in notes

Kirsty Elleray
2/11/2005

A PENSIONER from Marple died at Stepping Hill Hospital from MRSA - but nurses' notes failed to show any indication they knew she had the superbug.

A Stockport inquest heard how Iris Houghton, of Walmsley Court, Church Street, was admitted to hospital on July 6, 2004. She underwent a successful operation to remove a cancerous kidney and tumour but the operation wound became infected and she contracted MRSA.

The 84-year-old, who had a major heart attack in the 1970s and suffered from diabetes, was transferred to Cherry Tree Hospital on July 27 for rehabilitation but took a turn for worse and was sent back to Stepping Hill.

She died on August 23, 2004, due to MRSA septicemia and metastatic carcinoma of the kidney.

Coroner John Pollard, who gave his verdict as natural causes, said: "I am concerned an elderly lady was being moved around with MRSA for her health and the risk of passing it on to other patients.

"Nurses' notes did not say that she had MRSA, I would expect that to be in the notes. Was she not nursed in the right way because it was not in the notes? I think the nurses didn't know she had MRSA." There is now a care plan in place across Stockport NHS Foundation Trust for dealing with MRSA.

Mr Pollard added: "It is not a lot of comfort to this family that improvements have now been made.

"Despite the sterling work being done there is still a huge educational programme that is needed."


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Most recent 2 of 5 user comments

   I have a friend in Stepping Hill at present who didnt have MRSA when they went into hospital,subsequently had an operation,and tested pos for MRSA about a week or two later. The person is still MRSA positive and yet has been moved to another ward. In my humble opinion, Stepping Hill is like many old NHS hospitals. It is a breeding ground for disease. It isnt cleaned properly and good hygene is not always practiced. As well as this, the central heating has been running constantly in the blazing hot weather, patients suffer as a result and the lack of fresh air AND the excess heat spells good times for bugs. Hospitals prefer to cover up MRSA cases becuase it doesnt look good on their stats and star ratings. There should be a full and open investigation into all MRSA outbreaks/infections so that we can all learn best practice,instead of which we have claim/counterclaim and denial.
Ian Dunno, Stockport
27/07/2006 at 13:28
   Just to reiterate was was reported in our story, the inquest declared that Mrs Houghton's death was due to MRSA septicemia and metastatic carcinoma of the kidney. As it states in the story, the coroner recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.
Editor, Stockport Express
21/11/2005 at 09:52
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