This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8355547.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
C diff 'cover up' claim dismissed Minister to make C.diff statement
(about 1 hour later)
The Scottish government has been accused of a "cover up" over an outbreak of Clostridium difficile. Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon is to make a statement to parliament on the outbreak of the Clostridium Difficile infection at a Dundee hospital.
A C. diff infection killed two patients and contributed to the deaths of three others in a ward at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. The bug caused or contributed to the deaths of five elderly patients in Ninewells hospital over three weeks.
Labour said the government had known of the infection for three weeks before making it public. The hospital said routine monitoring picked up the outbreak early and triggered an immediate infection control operation.
A government spokeswoman insisted patients and their families were kept "fully informed" at all times. Labour wants to know why details were not made public until this week.
The outbreak was identified on 19 October and the government was informed two days later. The Conservatives said the latest deaths highlighted the need for urgent progress on the public inquiry into the earlier outbreak at the Vale of Leven hospital in West Dunbartonshire.
The Liberal Democrats said the remit of the inquiry should now be extended.
Opposition parties will question the health secretary following her statement at Holyrood.
The Ninewells c.diff outbreak was identified on 19 October and the government was informed two days later.
A total of eight elderly people in ward 31 had the infection.
The five deaths in Ninewells make the case for a wider public inquiry absolutely concrete Ross FinnieLib Dems
Five patients died between 19 October and 6 November, but an earlier case in September was later re-classified as part of the outbreak meaning it spanned 10 weeks.
Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: "Patients and their families have an absolute right to know if there is an outbreak at their local hospital.Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: "Patients and their families have an absolute right to know if there is an outbreak at their local hospital.
"Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has also known about this outbreak for some three weeks now but chose not to inform the public. There is no possible justification for this lack of transparency.""Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has also known about this outbreak for some three weeks now but chose not to inform the public. There is no possible justification for this lack of transparency."
A total of eight elderly people in ward 31 at Ninewells had the infection.
The five deaths in Ninewells make the case for a wider public inquiry absolutely concrete Ross FinnieLib Dems
All five patients died between 19 October and 6 November, but an earlier case in September was later re-classified as part of the outbreak meaning it spanned 10 weeks.
Ms Baillie said: "Deaths from Clostridium difficile are preventable and these patients may not have contracted the infection if lessons had been properly learned from the Vale of Leven.
"Now it seems that complacency has been compounded by cover up."
Ms Sturgeon is due to make a statement on the outbreak in Parliament on Thursday.
A government spokeswoman dismissed Ms Baillie's comments, describing them as "ill-informed".A government spokeswoman dismissed Ms Baillie's comments, describing them as "ill-informed".
'Available information'
She added: "At all times, NHS Tayside kept patients and their relatives fully informed.She added: "At all times, NHS Tayside kept patients and their relatives fully informed.
"Initial action was, rightly, focused on dealing with the outbreak."Initial action was, rightly, focused on dealing with the outbreak.
"In this case, the fatalities all took place between 21 October and 6 November and there have been no new cases since 30 October.""In this case, the fatalities all took place between 21 October and 6 November and there have been no new cases since 30 October."
Openness and transparency
All C. diff cases are recorded in the bi-monthly HAI (healthcare-associated infection) reporting system and are publicised at health board meetings and on the Scottish Government website, according to the spokeswoman.All C. diff cases are recorded in the bi-monthly HAI (healthcare-associated infection) reporting system and are publicised at health board meetings and on the Scottish Government website, according to the spokeswoman.
"In this case, in the spirit of openness and transparency, NHS Tayside has proactively made the information available sooner," she said."In this case, in the spirit of openness and transparency, NHS Tayside has proactively made the information available sooner," she said.
Nine people died directly from C. diff in a six-month outbreak at the Vale of Leven hospital in West Dunbartonshire last year, and the bug contributed to nine other deaths.Nine people died directly from C. diff in a six-month outbreak at the Vale of Leven hospital in West Dunbartonshire last year, and the bug contributed to nine other deaths.
The government has since announced a public inquiry into that outbreak.The government has since announced a public inquiry into that outbreak.
However, Lib Dem health spokesman Ross Finnie said the inquiry "shied away" from looking at outbreaks in Orkney and Grampian.However, Lib Dem health spokesman Ross Finnie said the inquiry "shied away" from looking at outbreaks in Orkney and Grampian.
"The five deaths in Ninewells make the case for a wider public inquiry absolutely concrete," he said."The five deaths in Ninewells make the case for a wider public inquiry absolutely concrete," he said.
"I will be calling on the health secretary to show some leadership tomorrow by ordering the terms and remit for the public inquiry to be extended across the country.""I will be calling on the health secretary to show some leadership tomorrow by ordering the terms and remit for the public inquiry to be extended across the country."