Further C. diff death at hospital

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Another patient has died after contracting the Clostridium difficile (C. diff) bug at Vale of Leven hospital in Dunbartonshire.

The patient is the 23rd to have died at the hospital after being diagnosed with the infection in the last six months.

Doctors said the patient was already seriously ill and C. diff was not the main cause of death.

A report last week found C. diff had caused eight deaths and contributed to a further eight at the hospital.

Another six patients with the infection died at the hospital, in Alexandria, but the bug played no part in their deaths.

This patient was seriously ill from an unrelated condition and C. diff was not the main cause of death NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board statement said the latest death was reported at a meeting of the control team investigating the outbreak.

The statement added: "This patient was seriously ill from an unrelated condition and C. diff was not the main cause of death.

"Three patients continue to be treated in isolation for C. diff. All three remain in a stable condition."

The statement said the outbreak control team remained focused on the effective control of the bug, and action had been taken since the team first met six days ago.

This included initiating a new antibiotics policy and the assignment to the Vale of Leven hospital of the health board's hand hygiene co-ordinator.

'Deepest sympathy'

Health Protection Scotland has been asked to carry out an independent review of infection control procedures to ensure they meet national standards.

An independent review has begun of all patients diagnosed with C. diff in the last six months, and an extra ward has been opened to improve hand washing for patients.

Dr Syed Ahmed, chairman of the team, said: "On behalf of the outbreak control team I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families of those who died.

"I can give an absolute assurance that we are carefully scrutinising every infection control measure as we investigate why there was a higher than expected incidence of C. diff at the Vale in January, February, and May of this year."

Health officials identified 54 cases of C. diff at the hospital between December and June. Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told BBC Scotland at the weekend there was a "compelling case" for an independent inquiry into the outbreak.