Hold hospitals to account over infections

My reaction on reading the story on the failure by Cork University Hospital and Mallow General Hospital to observe infection control standards was sadness rather than shock or surprise.

I have been campaigning for these standards to put on a statutory basis for more than eight years now, but unfortunately, we continue to see this kind of negligence.

Here is the problem as I see it: the incentive to stick to the standards is not strong enough. There have been written reports, recommendations, and strategies to reduce HCAIs in Ireland since 1995. However, even when patients have been seriously adversely affected, the strongest sanction against a hospital was a letter from HIQA and an admonition to do better.

Human nature being what it is, I believe that until the hospital management is made personally responsible for the protection of patients, and receives a strong sanction in the form of fines or demotion when the rules are not enforced, your reporters will continue to have to write stories like this and patients will continue to suffer. It is inevitable that there will be some adverse events in hospitals. However, many infections are preventable. The knowledge of how to do this is there, and it is unacceptable that we continue to allow people to ignore it.

Teresa Graham

Stop Infection Now campaign

Tramore

Co Waterford