Updated: Alert for mums over HIV medic (From Echo)

Updated: Alert for mums over HIV medic

7:46am Thursday 22nd May 2008 in

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A MEDIC who dealt with Caesarean births at Basildon and Southend hospitals had HIV.

Nearly 200 patients have been informed by letter they were in contact with the healthcare worker. They have been asked to take HIV tests to make sure they have not contracted the infection.

It is understood the unidentified staff member was in a surgical team which dealt with Caesarean section births at both hospitals. Basildon Hospital has sent out 126 warning letters, while Southend Hospital posted 66.

The staff member worked at Southend during the first half of 2007 and Basildon in the summer of 2006.

The hospitals only confirmed the alert after worried mums contacted the Echo.

Angelique Millington, 32, whose son Joshua is 15 months old, will have her HIV test tomorrow. She said: "I can't eat. I can't sleep. It's such a worry."

Dr Grahame Tosh, medical director at Southend Hospital, said: "We are very sorry that some of our patients could have been exposed to the risk of HIV infection while in our care."

The Echo can reveal the infected medic still works within the health service in what is described as a "risk free" role.