A hospital is facing calls for an inquiry after seven people died in an outbreak of the superbug C.Difficile.
A hospital is facing calls for an inquiry after up to seven people died in an outbreak of the superbug C.Difficile.
At least 33 patients were infected at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil.
At least 33 patients were infected at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil earlier this year.
Three of the patients died directly as a result of the bacterium and the superbug was also listed on the death certificates of four others.
Three of the patients died directly as a result of the bacterium and the superbug was also listed on the death certificates of four others.
Cwm Taf NHS Trust said action, including a "deep clean" of the hospital, had been undertaken.
Cwm Taf NHS Trust said a "deep clean" of the hospital had been undertaken.
The trust confirmed there was an outbreak at the hospital earlier this year when it was being run by the previous North Glamorgan NHS Trust.
During the whole of 2007, C.diff was recorded on the death certificates of 15 people in the Merthyr, Cynon valley, Taff valley and Bridgend areas which coroner Philip Walters covers.
So far this year, in addition to the seven deaths at Prince Charles Hospital during April, there have also been four deaths in Bridgend's Princess of Wales hospital and two at the Royal Glamorgan.
It takes the total of C.diff related deaths in the coroner's area so far this year to 13.
Retired factory supervisor Roy Collins, 69, from Hirwaun was one of the seven who died at Prince Charles in April. Both C.diff and MRSA were listed on his death certificate.
He was always such a very proud man and for him to go the way that he did breaks all our hearts really. Natalie Collins on her late father Roy
His 27-year-old daughter Natalie Collins told BBC Wales' current affairs programme Eye on Wales that her father's death had left her family reeling.
"He was always such a very proud man and for him to go the way that he did breaks all our hearts really. It's just totally, totally undignified," she said.
"We suspected (C.diff) for about a week before - hearing snippets of conversation."
She said a nurse then told the family there had been an outbreak of C.diff.
"No explanation as to what it was, what to look out for," was given though, she said.
Ms Collins said procedures should have been put in place to limit the infection spread.
"But obviously that didn't happen and I believe that's why my father's dead now, because he caught two infections - both due to lack of hygiene in the hospital," she said.
Condolences
Cwm Taf NHS Trust confirmed there was an outbreak at the hospital earlier this year when it was being run by the previous North Glamorgan NHS Trust.
It offered its condolences to Ms Collins and her family and said a thorough investigation into their complaints would be carried out.
The trust also said a range of actions were taken in relation to the outbreak of C.diff at the Prince Charles Hospital including:
• Daily monitoring of all cases of diarrhoea and vomiting
• All new C.diff positive results were communicated to the ward immediately and the infection control team
• Patients were moved to side rooms and barrier nursed
• Deep cleaning of wards was also undertaken in addition to the daily environmental decontamination
• C.diff information leaflets were given to patients.
But concern by relatives of those who died has lead to calls for an independent inquiry.
But concern by relatives of those who died has lead to calls for an independent inquiry.
Jonathan Morgan AM, chair of the Welsh assembly's health committee, said the investigation should be independent of the hospital.
Jonathan Morgan AM, chair of the Welsh assembly's health committee, said the investigation should be independent of the hospital.
"What I am calling for is the Auditor General for Wales Jeremy Colman to conduct an inquiry. He is somebody who inspires a great deal of public confidence," he said.
"I think that if the public of Wales is to have confidence in their hospitals and the ability of nurses and the cleaning services to keep hospitals clean to prevent the spread of infection then we need an enquiry in to what happened at Prince Charles and to ensure that we have the best procedures throughout Wales."
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