- Mobile site
- E-Newsletters
-
- News feed
- Find us on Twitter
@Essex_Echo
Follow us
- Find us on Facebook
Echo
Like us on Facebook
10 years on, legionella till a risk to Basildon Hospital patients (From Echo)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting ECHONEWS to 80360, or email us »
10 years on, legionella till a risk to Basildon Hospital patients
12:00pm Thursday 12th July 2012 in Local News
Significant concerns – Basildon Hospital has still not satisfied the Care Quality Commission
LEGIONELLA is still a risk to patients at Basildon Hospital – ten years after a fatal outbreak and despite millions being spent trying to kill the bug.
Hospital bosses are spending a sixth of their maintenance budget – around £500,000 a year – trying to reduce the risk of the bacteria which thrives in cold water systems and can lead to potentially-fatal Legionnaires’ disease.
Despite this, regulators say the trust is not doing enough and the hospital has yet to meet all targets to minimise risk.
It is now being monitored by three health bodies, South West Essex Primary Care Trust, the Strategic Health Authority and watchdog Monitor, and will have a report back on its progress in September.
Hospital chairman Ian Luder said: “If there was a golden bullet, we would take it. But we have sought advice from all the national experts and they all agree the bug cannot be completely eradicated.
“Legionella avoidance is a very high priority for us. We have spent £2million since 2002 and £500,000 a year on water management systems. One in every six pounds we spend on maintenance is on water system management.”
The hospital first hit the headlines for Legionnaires ten years ago, when George Bate, 77, died, leading to a £25,000 fine for the hospital and promised improvements.
Since then, there have been at least 13 cases of the disease, the last in November. In contrast, Southend Hospital has had no cases of Legionnaires since 2003.
In February, the Care Quality Commission flagged up legionella management as a major concern at Basildon Hospital and ordered steps be taken after last November’s inquests into the deaths of James Compton, 74, in 2007 and Raymond Cackett, 54, in 2010.
However, the hospital has still not satisfied the commission. In its latest report it, the commission said: “There are ongoing significant concerns regarding the prevention and control of legionella at the hospital, despite past action having been taken by the trust to reduce the risk.”
Mr Compton’s widow, Joyce, from Kings Way, Billericay, said: “Back in 2007, they said things would improve, but it is still there.
“I feel for anyone else who catches this. I would be terrified to go into the hospital for an operation.”
A legionella expert said the hospital may never fully be able to cure the problem. Simon French, of Water Hygiene Training, said: “Hospitals are doing everything they can to try and control it.
“But with so many people ill and with low immune systems, it is never going to be totally under control.”
Comments(7)
Ian P
says...
12:34pm Thu 12 Jul 12
EthanEdwards
says...
1:33pm Thu 12 Jul 12
I have a impaired immune system and I have no choice but to use BUH.
If you can't fix the problem may I suggest you have the RAF 'take off and nuke it from orbit'. It's the only way to be sure. We pay the tax the NHS costs shedloads and this just isn't acceptable. Fix it immediately or demolish the place and build a better hospital. Too many 'managers' with fat salaries and expensive company cars. I had hoped when we lost Brown that things would improve. Sadly they've gotten even worse.
Simonfrench
says...
2:16pm Thu 12 Jul 12
Basildon is one of a few that are very vigilant for obvious reasons.
Current statistics, 47% catch Legionella walking down the street. 47% catch it walking down someone else’s street (holidays). 6% from Hospitals. Safest place? Hospitals. Just had reason to use one in Italy. Thank god ours are not like there’s.
Team effort from everyone in the building is needed to get Legionella under control. Every hospital and every building in the land is likely to have Legionella. That is why Legionella training is of paramount importance to everyone who has any connection with control measures.
Current statistics say 300 to 400 per year get Legionella. Did you see all of them in the paper? No. Real number is more likely 9,000. Statistics are only as good as the reporting mechanism.
Ian P
says...
12:48pm Fri 13 Jul 12
Simonfrench wrote:Legionella has been a notifiable disease since April 2010, so unless other hospitals are breaking the law, there is a very good chance that they are Legionella free.
Ask yourself this question. How sure are you about the other hospitals having no Legionella? Basildon is one of a few that are very vigilant for obvious reasons. Current statistics, 47% catch Legionella walking down the street. 47% catch it walking down someone else’s street (holidays). 6% from Hospitals. Safest place? Hospitals. Just had reason to use one in Italy. Thank god ours are not like there’s. Team effort from everyone in the building is needed to get Legionella under control. Every hospital and every building in the land is likely to have Legionella. That is why Legionella training is of paramount importance to everyone who has any connection with control measures. Current statistics say 300 to 400 per year get Legionella. Did you see all of them in the paper? No. Real number is more likely 9,000. Statistics are only as good as the reporting mechanism.
Simonfrench
says...
4:39pm Fri 13 Jul 12
DanniW
says...
4:59pm Wed 18 Jul 12
Ian P wrote:Very good point! legionella occurs in very specific environments and there will be a place in the hospital where the disease is spreading. A more thorough inspection and fulllegionnaires disease testing will show up areas of risk. It is a big statement to say that you are doing absolutely everything possible.
Simon French, of Water Hygiene Training, said: “Hospitals are doing everything they can to try and control it. But with so many people ill and with low immune systems, it is never going to be totally under control.” Can I ask then why Basildon has had 13 cases and Southend none? It appears to me that they are both hospitals with ill people with low immune systems. Instead of claiming that it will never be under control perhaps someone should spend sometime studying the differences between the two locations in order to establish the root cause of Basildon's issues.
The Cater Wood Creeper says...
12:33pm Thu 12 Jul 12
buy a new till.....