Health care infections - Patients face deadly game of roulette
The philosophy behind the campaign by Stop Infections Now (SIN), is “knowledge is power.”
There has been much too much ignorance about heath care acquired infections, not just among the wider public, but also within the health services.
SIN estimates that between 600 and 800 people die annually from such infections. The uncertainty about the figure highlights in itself an intolerable level of ignorance about a matter of life and death importance.
Dr Teresa Graham, chairwoman of Stop Infections Now, emphasised that the group is striving to inform those using and working in health care about infections.
C Diff only became a notifiable disease in May. Since then there have been an average of 52 cases a week.
This country has one of the worst records of hospital acquired infections in Europe. We can learn much from the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries, which have a much better record. But the Health Service Executive contends our infection rate of 4.9% compares favourably with the figures of other countries.
It admits that the MRSA rates are higher but adds that the “vast majority” of those recover. Maybe it would be unfair to suggest that this exhibits an unacceptable degree of complacency, but it is important to stress there should never be any grounds for being content just because it could be even worse.
If this country has the second highest incidence of infections in Europe, we should not be content because we are not the worst. On the other hand, if alarmist statistics are being used, then people should know that.
As it stands, doctors are advising patients to be treated at home, if possible, because they are in danger of worse infections in hospital.
Lawyer Gerald Kean, whose parents acquired MRSA before their deaths, was at pains to stress that his support for the group is personal rather than professional.
He believes it is a scandal that this country has the “second worst hygienic record in Europe.”
We are spending €15 billion a year on health. That should be more than enough to run an efficient, clean and effective health service.
Every time somebody dies of an acquired infection, the hospital administrator should be called before an inquest to explain how it happened. This should be done, not to create scapegoats, but to ensure that people recognise and learn from their mistakes.
Suing hospitals may highlight the problem, but is unlikely to have much impact on the hospital administration, because those responsible will not be paying. It is the innocent taxpayers who will foot the bill.
Ultimately it will be people who subsequently become sick who will suffer most, due to the inevitable lack of facilities if money is squandered on litigation rather than services.
The HSE’s plan to cut infection rates by 20% a year is not good enough. Are the Irish public being asked to tolerate a new deadly game — Irish Hospitals Roulette?
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