Dirty equipment sparks NI health scare

Nearly 450 hospital patients in Northern Ireland were warned today they may have been examined by medical staff using dirty equipment.

The Down Lisburn Trust, which runs Lagan Valley, also said there was a “small risk” that infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV could spread from one patient to another by a gastroscope which had not been fully disinfected.

It is a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end which is used to examine the inside of the stomach.

It can also be used to take tissue samples for testing.

The trust announced it had written to 449 patients who were examined using one particular gastroscope, which may not have been properly disinfected at the hospital’s day procedure unit between April 2001 and last month.

Although the gastroscope went through a disinfection process after each use, one small part may not have been completely disinfected, according to management.

Chief executive John Compton said everyone examined would be contacted as a precautionary measure.

He added: “We very sincerely regret any distress this may cause to our patients.

“Although the risk is very small, we believe we are doing the right thing in contacting everyone who was examined with this instrument, offering advice and a blood test.”

The gastroscope at the centre of the alert is no longer in use. Normal cleaning involves both washing and then disinfection.

A patient helpline has also been set up to deal with patients’ concerns.

Mr Compton added: “We have complete records which have enabled us to identify quickly everyone who was treated using this piece of equipment.”