North's Health Minister announces investigation into hospital superbug

An independent investigation is to take place into hospital outbreaks of a deadly infection that killed four babies in the North.

Announcing the move, Stormont Health Minister Edwin Poots stopped short of ordering a public inquiry into how the pseudomonas bacteria hit three neonatal units.

Separate outbreaks claimed the lives of one newborn at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry in December and three at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in Belfast this month.

Traces of the infection were also detected in the neonatal unit at the Ulster Hospital on the outskirts of Belfast at the weekend, though no infants contracted it.

Taps and water systems in the three units have been identified as the source of the outbreaks and health chiefs have faced tough questions on whether enough was done to warn other hospitals in the wake of the Altnagelvin outbreak.

Mr Poots told the Northern Ireland Assembly that experts from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) would conduct a rigorous investigation.

"We have a responsibility to learn from this tragedy and to share that learning across the UK and Republic of Ireland," he said.

"We owe it to the parents and we owe it to the memory of the babies that died.

"I have given this undertaking to the parents. Members, I give this undertaking to you. Be in no doubt, I am absolutely determined to inquire into all of the circumstances of this tragedy.

"I resolve to investigate and understand what happened. I will not be deflected in achieving this, because it is only in doing so that we can prevent this happening again."

The parents of one of the four babies that died from pseudomonas had called for a public inquiry.

Gavin Burke and Caoimhe Campbell's 10-day-old son, Caolan, died in the neonatal unit in Derry last month.

The Minister faced questions in the Assembly about why he had not opted for a full public inquiry.

He said experience had proved that such investigations could take years to complete.

"I cannot afford to wait years for answers," he said.

The Minister confirmed there had been no new cases of infection in the last week.

But he added: "As I informed you last week, pseudomonas has been found in samples from taps.

"As a precautionary measure, we are changing every tap on every clinical hand washing basin in every neonatal unit in Northern Ireland.

"Water samples from these taps will also be tested as part of the investigation.

"Once the new taps are in place, the water from them will be tested for seven days and then at regular intervals.

"Advice has also been issued on the correct process for cleaning taps to avoid contamination, based on the advice of the Health Protection Agency."

He said: "There is no single, simple `quick fix' for this situation.

"While we need to move swiftly and decisively, we must be sure we do the right things.

"I am leaving no stone unturned in my quest to reduce the risk of pseudomonas infection in neonatal units.

"That is what parents and the public expect and I have directed that this continues to be our approach."

Mr Poots said he was unsure if the health trusts responsible for the hospitals had acted swiftly enough.

He said he had now demanded that they account for what action they took in response to the guidance on pseudomonas that was issued by health officials.

"To be perfectly honest, Mr Speaker, at this stage I am not convinced the Trusts responded quickly enough and that is why I am going down the route that I am going," said the minister.

"And that's why I will have an independent investigation and it will be an independent investigation and we will get the answers.

"Irrespective of how we get them, we will get the answers and we will make them public."

Mr Poots said the RQIA probe team would be chaired by Professor Patricia Troop, former chief executive of the Health Protection Agency.

He said he wanted an interim report on his desk by the end of March, so urgent actions could be taken, and the final report no more than eight weeks later.

The Minister explained that the investigation would comprise two parts: one examining the actions of the trusts and his department, and the other assessing the experiences of the families whose babies died.

He said the RQIA would also work with health chiefs to develop new audit tools to regulate infection prevention control standards within all neonatal units and other augmented care settings in Northern Ireland.

"Mr Speaker, I must be assured that all our neonatal units are operating to the very highest standards," said Mr Poots.

"I want to acknowledge the excellent work that saves the lives of hundreds of babies each year.

"Thankfully, incidents such as the pseudomonas outbreaks are uncommon. Nevertheless, I need the assurance that everything that can be done is being done to ensure that these units are functioning to the highest possible standard. RQIA will provide that independent assurance."

He told expectant mothers that the region's hospitals were safe places to give birth.

He added: "The neonatal network continues to provide safe, high- quality neonatal services for all babies who require it, with additional precautions in place at the moment to deal with any risk from pseudomonas."

Mr Poots said the experiences of Northern Ireland would help shape new guidelines on pseudomonas.

"My first priority is to ensure the safety of all babies in our neonatal units and I must be absolutely certain that whatever we do is the right thing to do," he said.

"It must be based on the best available scientific evidence.

"Yes, we can test babies for pseudomonas. Yes, we can test water. Yes, we can replace taps. But we are in relatively unknown territory with pseudomonas.

"There is currently no national guidance sitting on a shelf waiting to be used.

"For this reason, right from the start we have been learning from the experience in Altnagelvin. We have been learning from the Royal, and we have been in constant dialogue with national experts in the Health Protection Agency to ensure that whatever steps we take are the right steps and that we do not create greater risks for these babies by doing the wrong thing.

"So, you will see that Northern Ireland is breaking new ground in the context of the UK and Ireland in responding systematically to this situation.

"We are providing ongoing care for babies and support for parents. At the same time, we are investigating the outbreaks, developing and implementing control measures, while ensuring that babies continue to have access to the full range of highly specialist medical and nursing care that they require."

The Minister told the chamber that the situation remained "complex and dynamic".

"I can assure you that everything that needs to be done is being done and that I am determined to make sure that our neonatal units are the safest they can be and that babies are protected," he said.