- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive why it waited from 14 May until 22 May 2008 before making a public announcement on clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer
I would refer to the timeline of events in my statement to the Parliament on 18 June 2008.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been recorded where (a) clostridium difficile-associated disease, (b) MRSA, (c) vancomycin-resistant enterococci, (d) multi-resistant acinetobacter spp and (e) penicillin-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae was mentioned on the death certificate and in how many cases it was also the underlying cause of death in each year since 2001.
Answer
Data for (a) and (b) are provided in the table below. It is not possible, however, to provide figures on the specific infections requested at (c), (d) or (e).
Deaths with Mention of Clostridium Difficile or MRSA in Scotland for the Period 2001 to 2006:
| | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Clostridium Difficile mentioned (underlying cause of death or contributory factor) | 170 | 164 | 188 | 239 | 313 | 417 |
| Clostridium Difficile underlying cause of death | 57 | 70 | 73 | 98 | 102 | 164 |
| MRSA mentioned (underlying cause of death or contributory factor) | 136 | 155 | 169 | 190 | 212 | 213 |
| MRSA underlying cause of death | 36 | 46 | 39 | 42 | 38 | 51 |
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took following notification by Health Protection Scotland on 29 April 2008 of a clostridium difficile case at the Royal Alexandria Hospital, Paisley.
Answer
Health Protection Scotland (HPS) notified the Scottish Government of this case on 13 May. All the established infection control procedures and steps were followed by the NHS board and, as in all cases of this kind, HPS provided the NHS board with its expert advice and support.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took following notification by Health Protection Scotland on 13 May 2008 of a clostridium difficile case at the Royal Alexandria Hospital, Paisley.
Answer
NHS Glasgow notified Health Protection Scotland (HPS) in accordance with the guidance set out in Annex 4 of the 2003 guidance document Managing Incidents Presenting Actual and Potential Risks to Public Health: Guidance on Roles and Responsibilities of Incident Control Teams. The guidance sets out the circumstances under which HPS should be informed of incidents and outbreaks. The Scottish Government was notified of the case by HPS on 13 May and I was kept regularly briefed by my officials thereafter. HPS were proactive on the matter and sent a letter to all NHS boards on 14 May 2008 to reinforce advice on the measures to control Clostridium difficile and a News Release was issued by them on 15 May.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took following notification by Health Protection Scotland on 14 May 2008 of clostridium difficile cases at (a) Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, (b) Stobhill Hospital and (c) the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer
NHS Grampian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde notified Health Protection Scotland (HPS) in accordance with the guidance set out in Annex 4 of the 2003 guidance document Managing Incidents Presenting Actual and Potential Risks to Public Health: Guidance on Roles and Responsibilities of Incident Control Teams. The guidance sets out the circumstances under which HPS should be informed of incidents and outbreaks. On (a) and (b) the Scottish Government was notified of the cases by Health Protection Scotland on 13 May and I was kept regularly briefed by my officials thereafter. Health Protection Scotland were proactive on the matter and sent a letter to all NHS boards on 14 May 2008 to reinforce advice on the measures to control Clostridium difficile and a News Release was issued by them on 15 May 2008. On (c) I refer the member to the question S3W-14687 answered on 24 July 2008.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 22 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current police establishment figures are as of 1 July 2008.
Answer
The operational deployment of resources is a matter for chief constables, and no information on planned establishment levels is held centrally.
Figures on the number of police officers employed are collected on a whole-time equivalent basis for the Quarterly Strength Return. This is updated on a quarterly basis to reflect returns for 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December. Copies of the latest figures for 2007-08 are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43307).
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive in how many deaths (a) clostridium difficile and (b) MRSA was recorded as a contributory factor in each year since1999, broken down by hospital and expressed also as a proportion of all deaths.
Answer
The data in the following tables were provided by the General Register Office of Scotland (GROS). The figures should be noted with caution. Recording of MRSA and clostridium difficile infections on death certificates is based on the clinical judgement of each doctor. Changes in the number of cases year-on-year may therefore be influenced by increased public and professional awareness of these infections and may not be a reliable indicator of the true incidence.
It should also be noted that before 2000 it was not possible to say whether Clostridium difficile was a contributory factor in the deaths. It is only possible to provide information where Clostridium difficile was mentioned in the death certificate. A separate table has therefore been provided for 1999.
Table 1: Deaths where Clostridium Difficile was a Contributory Factor in Deaths in Scotland Between 2000 and 2006
| | Year |
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Aberdeen Royal Infirmary | 2 | - | 4 | 2 | - | 4 | 4 |
| Annan Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Arbroath Infirmary | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Ashludie Hospital | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Astley Ainslie Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Ayr Hospital | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 3 |
| Ayrshire Central Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 |
| Balfour Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bannockburn Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Belford Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Belhaven Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Biggart Hospital | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 1 |
| Bonnybridge Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Borders General Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Camerone Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Chalmers Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Coathill Hospital | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Community Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Corstorphine Hospital | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cottage Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - |
| Crosshouse Hospital | 6 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Dalrymple Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Doctor Gray’s Hospital | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Drumchapel Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dumfries/Galloway Royal Infirmary | - | 5 | - | 1 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
| Dunoon General Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Edington Cottage Hospital | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ellen’s Glen House | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary | - | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Fraserburgh Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Gartnavel General Hospital | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| Glasgow Royal Infirmary | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Glenrothes Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Hairmyres Hospital | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 12 |
| Holmhead Hospital | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Inverclyde Royal Hospital | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Inverurie Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Irvine Memorial Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Kello Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Kildean Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Kirkcudbright Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Kirklandside Hospital | 1 | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Lady Home Cottage Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Leanchoil Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Liberton Hospital | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 6 |
| Lightburn Hospital | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Loanhead Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Lynebank Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Memorial Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Monklands General Hospital | 3 | 2 | - | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| Montrose Royal Infirmary | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh | - | - | - | 4 | 3 | 9 | 14 |
| Newton Stewart Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Ninewells Hospital | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| Perth Royal Infirmary | - | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Queen Margaret Hospital | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Raigmore Hospital | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Roadmeetings Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Roodlands General Hospital | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 4 |
| Rosslynlee Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Rothesay Victoria Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Roxburghe House | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Royal Alexandra Hospital | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 9 |
| Royal Edinburgh Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh | 7 | 5 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 7 |
| Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 3 |
| Sauchie Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Southern General Hospital | - | - | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| St John’s Hospital | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| St Michael’s Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Stirling Royal Infirmary | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Stobhill Hospital | 2 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 |
| Stonehouse Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Stracathro Hospital | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Strathclyde Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Udston Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Uist And Barra Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Vale of Leven Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Victoria Hospital | 1 | - | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Victoria Infirmary, Helensburgh | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, Geriatric Unit | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 10 |
| Wester Moffat Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Western General Hospital | 1 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Western Infirmary | 1 | 6 | - | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| Western Infirmary, Beatson Oncology Centre | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Whyteman’s Brae Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Wishaw General Hospital | - | 1 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Woodend Hospital | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Law Hospital | 1 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Findlay House | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Roxburghe House | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Hospital Total | 73 | 106 | 88 | 110 | 129 | 194 | 240 |
| Non-hospital | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 13 |
| Total | 78 | 113 | 94 | 115 | 141 | 211 | 253 |
| Proportion of all deaths | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Table 2: Deaths that Mention Clostridium Difficile in the Death Certificate in Scotland in 1999
| Hospital | Number of Deaths |
| Airbles Road Hospital | 1 |
| Ayr Hospital | 1 |
| Ayrshire Central Hospital | 1 |
| Bannockburn Hospital | 1 |
| Blawarthill Hospital | 1 |
| Borders General Hospital | 2 |
| Camerone Hospital | 1 |
| Crosshouse Hospital | 6 |
| Dumfries/Galloway Royal Infirmary | 2 |
| Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary | 7 |
| Gartnavel General Hospital | 1 |
| Glasgow Royal Infirmary | 8 |
| Hairmyres Hospital | 2 |
| Inverclyde Royal Hospital | 2 |
| Liberton Hospital | 1 |
| Lightburn Hospital | 5 |
| Ninewells Hospital | 2 |
| Portree Hospital | 1 |
| Queen Margaret Hospital | 3 |
| Roodlands General Hospital | 1 |
| Royal Alexandra Hospital | 1 |
| Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh | 4 |
| Royal Victoria Hospital | 1 |
| Sauchie Hospital | 1 |
| Southern General Hospital | 1 |
| St John’s Hospital | 2 |
| Stirling Royal Infirmary | 5 |
| Stobhill Hospital | 6 |
| Stracathro Hospital | 1 |
| Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow | 2 |
| Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, Geriatric Unit | 1 |
| Western General Hospital | 1 |
| Cowglen Hospital | 1 |
| Law Hospital | 5 |
| Hospital total | 81 |
| Non-hospital | 5 |
| Total | 86 |
| Proportion of all deaths | 0.1% |
Table 3: Deaths where MRSA was a Contributory Factor in Deaths in Scotland Between 2000 and 2006
| Hospital | | Year |
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Aberdeen Royal Infirmary | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| Arbroath Infirmary | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Ashludie Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Astley Ainslie Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - |
| Ayr Hospital | - | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | - |
| Ayrshire Central Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Biggart Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Borders General Hospital | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 4 |
| Brechin Infirmary | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Caithness General Hospital | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Chalmers Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Community Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Cottage Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Crosshouse Hospital | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Doctor Gray’s Hospital | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Drumchapel Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Dumbarton Joint Hospital | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
| Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| Findlay House | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Fraserburgh Hospital | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gartnavel General Hospital | 2 | - | 2 | 3 | - | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Gilbert Bain Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Glasgow Royal Infirmary | 5 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 16 | 10 |
| Glen O’Dee Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Glenrothes Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Hairmyres Hospital | 1 | - | 2 | - | 2 | 4 | 7 | 5 |
| Haylodge Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Ian Charles Cottage Hospital | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Inverclyde Royal Hospital | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Inverurie Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Irvine Memorial Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Jubilee Hospital | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Kincardine Community Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| King’s Cross Hospital | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kirkcudbright Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kirklandside Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Lady Margaret Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Law Hospital | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Liberton Hospital | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Lightburn Hospital | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 4 | - |
| Little Cairnie Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Loanhead Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Lorn & Islands District Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Lynebank Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Mid Argyll Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Monklands General Hospital | 1 | 3 | - | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Montfield Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Montrose Royal Infirmary | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - |
| New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh | - | - | - | - | 10 | 8 | 13 | 18 |
| Ninewells Hospital | 3 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
| Perth Royal Infirmary | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Peterhead Community Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - |
| Portree Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Queen Margaret Hospital | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 9 |
| Raigmore Hospital | 2 | - | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | - |
| Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Ravenscraig Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Roodlands General Hospital | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Rosslynlee Hospital | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Roxburghe House | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Royal Alexandra Hospital | - | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Royal Cornhill Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Royal Hospital for Sick Children | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh | 7 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 4 | - | - | - |
| Royal Northern Infirmary | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 |
| Sauchie Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Seafield Hospital | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Southern General Hospital | 1 | 1 | - | - | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| St Brendan’s Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| St John’s Hospital | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | 5 | 2 | - |
| Stirling Royal Infirmary | - | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Stobhill Hospital | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
| Stracathro Hospital | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Stratheden Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| The Orchards | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| The Princess Royal Maternity Unit | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ugie Hospital | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Vale of Leven Hospital | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Victoria Hospital | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Victoria Infirmary, Helensburgh | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Western Infirmary | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Western Infirmary, Beatson Oncology Centre | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Wester Moffat Hospital | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Western General Hospital | - | 1 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Western Infirmary | - | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
| Western Infirmary | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Western Isles Hospital | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Whyteman’s Brae Hospital | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Wishaw General Hospital | - | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Woodend Hospital | 2 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Hospital Total | 63 | 61 | 92 | 99 | 117 | 132 | 153 | 149 |
| Non-hospital | 6 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 21 | 13 |
| Total | 69 | 74 | 100 | 109 | 130 | 148 | 174 | 162 |
| Proportion of all deaths | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive why guidance on clostridium difficile has not been issued by NHS Scotland or Health Protection Scotland, given that guidelines on surveillance systems were issued in April 2007 and updated in January 2008 by the Department of Health of the UK Government.
Answer
Scottish guidance on surveillance of clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) has been available since the start of the mandatory CDAD surveillance programme in September 2006 and this was updated in October 2007.
A range of CDAD documents have been produced by Health Protection Scotland for NHS boards. These include the Standard Infection Control Precautions model policies which have been available since September 2006 (with supporting education materials for hand hygiene and personal protective equipment also available), transmission-based precautions model policies (including contact precautions policy with clostridium difficile specific hand hygiene and cleaning guidance) which was launched April 2008, the CDAD care bundle which was launched in March 2008 and a checklist for preventing and controlling CDAD was circulated for comment on 19 June to all Infection Control Managers.
Health Protection Scotland is drafting new overarching national guidance to account for the above publications and the Scottish Government’s HAI Task Force has been advised that a final draft will be provided to them in September 2008.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when Health Protection Scotland met the Health Protection Agency to discuss guidance on clostridium difficile.
Answer
Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has not formally met with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to discuss their new draft guidance on clostridium difficile, although I am advised that a member of HPS attended a conference hosted by the Health Protection Agency on 14 February at which the draft guidance was discussed.
Scottish guidance on surveillance of clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) has been available since the start of the mandatory CDAD surveillance programme in September 2006 and this was updated in October 2007. New guidance on CDAD in Scotland is being prepared by HPS and will be discussed at the next HAI Task Force meeting in September.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been caused by clostridium difficile in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
The data in the following table were provided by the General Register Office of Scotland (GROS). It should be noted that it is unusual for clostridium difficile to be the sole cause of death as a range of contributory factors are normally involved, and it should be noted that changes in the number of cases year on year may be influenced by increased public and professional awareness of clostridium difficile and may not be a reliable indicator of the true incidence.
Between 1997 and 1999, it was also not possible to state whether clostridium difficile was the underlying cause of the death as death certificates were not recorded in this way. It is therefore only possible to provide the member with data on deaths where clostridium difficile was the underlying cause of death between 2000 and 2006. Figures for 2007 and 2008 are also not yet available from GROS.
The death certificates that have recorded clostridium difficile as the underlying cause of death between 2000 and 2006 are as follows:
| NHS Board of Residence | Year |
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Scotland | 38 | 57 | 70 | 73 | 98 | 102 | 164 |
| Ayrshire and Arran | 2 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 5 |
| Borders | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 3 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | - | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Fife | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
| Forth Valley | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| Grampian | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
| Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 9 | 15 | 21 | 18 | 26 | 22 | 41 |
| Highland | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 4 |
| Lanarkshire | 10 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 24 |
| Lothian | 6 | 11 | 13 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 40 |
| Orkney | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shetland | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tayside | - | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 13 |
| Western Isles | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
