Coroner told hospital has no infection expert

THE danger of MRSA was highlighted yesterday after a coroner’s court was told about inadequacies for the treatment of such infection at a Dublin hospital.

Dublin County Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty was told no consultant microbiologist, whose specialist knowledge could limit the spread of hospital-acquired infections like MRSA, was employed at St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, Co Dublin.

Consultant geriatrician Dr Morgan Crowe said the hospital’s management had been asking the HSE to approve the appointment of a consultant microbiologist for almost two years.