South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Calls for Inquiry extension after 229 cases of C-Diff in South Belfast Hospitals

Published: 28 November, 2008

Balmoral Sinn Féin representative Vincent Parker, commenting after it was revealed that South Belfast Hospitals dealt with 299 cases of Clostridium Difficile (C-Diff) between August 2007 and August 2008, has called on Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey to extend the proposed Public Inquiry into revent deaths from this bug in the Northern Trust area to all Health Trusts.


Vincent Parker said,

"While I have the Highest regard for the Management and staff at both Belfast's City Hospital and Musgrave Park Hospital, I believe that when we have cases of an infection of this type that there is an onus to inform the public as to the origin and cause of such an incident. It is important that public confidence is maintained in the Health Service and that everything is being done to ensure that there is no recurrence of this problem.


"The most vulnerable to this infection would seem to be the elderly and patients recovering from surgery. It is essential that the families of these patients have reassurance about the welfare and wellbeing of their loved ones when they are admitted to hospital. I believe that the best way in which the Minister can provide this reassurance is by extending the proposed Public Inquiry into the deaths from C-Diff in the Northern Trust area to all Health Trusts in the North." CRÍOCH

Note to Editors:

1. There have been 210 reported cases of C.Difficile in the Belfast City Hospital and 19 cases in Musgrave Park Hospital dealt with in the period 7 August 2007 to 7 August 2008.

2. These are the absolute number of cases and provide no information on where the infection may have been acquired ie. prior to admission or as an inpatient.

3. Between 1 April 2008 and 7 August 2008 there has been one death where C.difficile was reported as the underlying cause of death.