Chamber and committees

Clostridium difficile spores represent the main source of cross infection with the organism and their containment is, therefore, a top priority. Health Protection Scotland (HPS) issued guidance in October 2008 titled Guidance on Prevention and Control of Clostridium difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) in Healthcare Settings in Scotland which details the measures to be taken to prevent the spread of clostridium difficile, such as isolation of symptomatic patients, hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, personal protective equipment and the safe management of linen and waste.

This guidance can be found on the HPS website at:

http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/sshaip/guidelines/clostridium-difficile/guidance-cdad-2008-10.pdf.

Products which receive the recommendation of the Health Protection Agency''s Rapid Review Panel (RRP) will be automatically considered for possible use in NHS Scotland by the HAI Commodities Advisory Group. This is a strategic group hosted by National Procurement, which meets six monthly but operates an e-mail discussion group between meetings. The group oversees the use of HAI related commodities within NHS Scotland and brings the process of review and procurement of products together through the application of a single national systematic approach and process.

There was an unacceptable delay before NHS Orkney notified the Scottish Government of the Clostridium difficile outbreak. NHS Orkney has accepted this and their lines of communication have been completely revised to ensure any future incidents are reported quickly.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23212 on 5 May 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

NHS Lothian has confirmed that there has been no recent incident of Clostridium difficile at the Western General Hospital. NHS Lothian has an upper control limit of two cases in one ward per week. Any breaches of the upper control limit triggers investigation by the Infection Control Team. Between October 2008 and March 2009 there were no breaches of the upper control limit. As an additional precaution, however, the Infection Control Team investigated eight incidences between October 2008 and March 2009 where wards reported above two cases in one calendar month. No incidences of cross infection were identified in any of these investigations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23027 on 5 May 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the statement I made to Parliament on 22 April 2009 when I confirmed that there will be a Public Inquiry into the Clostridium difficile outbreak at the Vale of Leven following the conclusion of on-going police and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23027 on 5 May 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

NHS Orkney introduced a draft antimicrobial policy in February 2009 and this was formally adopted in April 2009. An antimicrobial team has been established to audit compliance with the policy, and an antimicrobial pharmacist is in post and has the responsibility for ensuring day to day delivery of the policy.

There were six cases ribotyped, broken down as follows:

Ribotype	Cases
015	1
027	4
078	1

 

Ribotyping is not available for the other cases because the sample was either culture negative or no culture was grown.