Health Secretary must show leadership on C. diff inquiry (Aberdeen Central Liberal Democrats)

Aberdeen Central Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

Health Secretary must show leadership on C. diff inquiry

November 12, 2009 5:08 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Commenting after demanding the terms and remit of the Public Inquiry into C. Difficile be explicitly broadened to take in other outbreaks than the fatal outbreak at Vale of Leven, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Ross Finnie MSP said:

"The Health Secretary faced tough questions today about her Government's response to the fatal outbreak of C. Difficile in Ninewells.

"She failed to respond adequately to questions about mortality rates in Ninewells being higher than Vale of Leven, the main subject of the current public inquiry into C. Difficile.

"On the remit of the Public Inquiry the Health Secretary claims that Lord Mclean is not prevented from looking beyond the Vale of Leven Hospital. But that is not the same as changing the remit of the inquiry to provide explicitly for Lord Mclean to look at the circumstances of all hospitals in Scotland.

"If Lord McLean's inquiry is to restore public confidence in the treatment of C-Diff then it must not only address the very special circumstances that developed at the Vale of Leven Hospital, but must also provide an independent assessment as to whether the measures put in place at other hospitals throughout Scotland are adequate to meet the threat of C-Diff. The public deserve no less."