Surgery infection 'not reported'

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A County Antrim man whose grandson got an infection while undergoing brain surgery has found out it was not reported to health authorities.

Gerry Bond said he made the discovery about the Royal Victoria Hospital using the Freedom of Information Act.

He also discovered that the theatre where his grandson Michael's operation took place failed to meet minimum hygiene requirements more than once.

A hospital spokesman said they had acted on Mr Bond's findings.

"I was shocked when I looked at the data for 2007/2008," Ian Jamison, acting head of patient client support services, said.

"That's what lead to the managerial restructuring and the additional capacity being put in to make sure these audits are completed on a more frequent basis."

In April last year, Michael was diagnosed with a brain tumour when he was 15.

It was successfully removed by surgeons at the Royal Victoria Hospital within days, but while he was there Michael contracted a spinal infection.

High dependency unit

Mr Bond said it was a worrying time.

"His reaction tests were getting worse, his voice was going, his movement was going and six days after his operation he was rushed to the high dependency unit," he said.

The incident prompted Mr Bond to inquire about how often theatres and wards were cleaned at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

He found out that Theatre One, the main neurosurgical theatre where his grandson received his operation, had received two cleaning audits over a period of 52 weeks.

He also found that for the adjoining Ward F, of the eight audits sent to him, only three scored the minimum compliance level of 75%.

"I'm not satisfied one shred," Mr Bond said.

I think Gerry Bond has raised some very important issues for the whole of health and social care in Northern Ireland Maeve Hully, Patient Client Council

"These hygiene reports, for a start, why is a hospital not compelled to display these reports?"

Mr Bond has taken his case to the Patient and Client Council - an organisation established by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey in April which provides an independent voice for patients and carers.

Its chief executive, Maeve Hully, said Mr Bond had raised a number of points which needed to be acted on.

"I think Gerry Bond has raised some very important issues for the whole of health and social care in Northern Ireland," she said.

The BBC has learned that in the past 10 months, Theatre One has exceeded the minimum standard hygiene requirement.

A statement released by Mr McGimpsey concerning the case said he was committed to improving and maintaining high standards of hygiene in hospitals.

"As part of the drive to reduce healthcare-associated infections some £9m has been invested over three years in a range of measures including a rolling programme of unannounced hygiene inspections," he said.

"If any shortcomings are identified in a hospital setting, whether this is related to hygiene standards or environmental cleanliness, I fully expect them to be addressed immediately and this is monitored closely."