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| Bug hospital chief pay withheld | Bug hospital chief pay withheld |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| The health secretary has told the trust at the centre of a hospital bug investigation to withhold any severance pay from its former chief executive. | The health secretary has told the trust at the centre of a hospital bug investigation to withhold any severance pay from its former chief executive. |
| Rose Gibb of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust resigned on Friday after four years in the post. | Rose Gibb of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust resigned on Friday after four years in the post. |
| Alan Johnson described the deaths of 90 hospital patients from Clostridium difficile as "scandalous". | Alan Johnson described the deaths of 90 hospital patients from Clostridium difficile as "scandalous". |
| Kent police have launched an investigation into whether the trust should be prosecuted for the deaths. | Kent police have launched an investigation into whether the trust should be prosecuted for the deaths. |
| Mutual arrangement | |
| The suspension of Ms Gibb's pay is pending legal advice. | The suspension of Ms Gibb's pay is pending legal advice. |
| Ms Gibb left the trust by mutual arrangement. | |
| The trust said performance had improved under Rose Gibb | |
| The trust has refused to disclose how much money she received after leaving. | |
| Annual accounts showed she earned about £150,000 in salary, £5,000 in benefits and £12,500 in pension in 2006/07. | Annual accounts showed she earned about £150,000 in salary, £5,000 in benefits and £12,500 in pension in 2006/07. |
| Geoff Martin of campaign group Health Emergency said: "A severance payment should never have been considered in the first place. | Geoff Martin of campaign group Health Emergency said: "A severance payment should never have been considered in the first place. |
| "We have a right to know how much taxpayers' money is involved." | "We have a right to know how much taxpayers' money is involved." |
| The Healthcare Commission said a "litany" of errors in infection control had caused the "avoidable tragedy". | The Healthcare Commission said a "litany" of errors in infection control had caused the "avoidable tragedy". |
| The commission's report said nurses at the trust were too rushed to wash hands and left patients to lie in their own excrement. | The commission's report said nurses at the trust were too rushed to wash hands and left patients to lie in their own excrement. |
| The trust said it had not been prepared for "an outbreak of that size and complexity" but had learned lessons. | The trust said it had not been prepared for "an outbreak of that size and complexity" but had learned lessons. |
| READ THE FINDINGS Health Commission report on C.difficile at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust [1.72MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | |
| Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust's Medical director Dr Malcolm Stewart said managers of trusts were "trying to juggle with many balls". | Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust's Medical director Dr Malcolm Stewart said managers of trusts were "trying to juggle with many balls". |
| His own trust was changing the way it offered services internally and externally, opening an independent sector treatment centre, managing a financial deficit as well as applying for foundation trust status. | His own trust was changing the way it offered services internally and externally, opening an independent sector treatment centre, managing a financial deficit as well as applying for foundation trust status. |
| Mr Johnson said he was shocked by the findings, but denied accusations the problems were caused by staff being put under pressures to meet government A&E targets. | Mr Johnson said he was shocked by the findings, but denied accusations the problems were caused by staff being put under pressures to meet government A&E targets. |
| He said copies of the report would now be sent to all trusts so lessons could be learnt. | He said copies of the report would now be sent to all trusts so lessons could be learnt. |
| A Kent Police spokesman said the force was "in the process of reviewing the contents" of the report. | A Kent Police spokesman said the force was "in the process of reviewing the contents" of the report. |
| "The purpose of the review is to see if any criminal acts have taken place," he said. | "The purpose of the review is to see if any criminal acts have taken place," he said. |
| Death rate | Death rate |
| The commission began its investigations amid a string of complaints about cleanliness, and was particularly alarmed after the trust claimed no-one had died from the condition despite admitting there had been hundreds of cases. | The commission began its investigations amid a string of complaints about cleanliness, and was particularly alarmed after the trust claimed no-one had died from the condition despite admitting there had been hundreds of cases. |
| It said that seemed highly improbable given that the average death rate is between 6% and 7%. | It said that seemed highly improbable given that the average death rate is between 6% and 7%. |
| NURSES DID NOT ALWAYS Wash handsEmpty/clean commodesHelp patients go to toiletClean mattressesWear aprons/gloves href="/1/hi/health/6252151.stm">Q&A: Clostridium difficile class="" href="/1/hi/health/7038107.stm">'My mother died' C.difficile experiences | |
| The watchdog examined a sample of 50 patients out of a total of 345 to whom various causes of death had been attributed, but who were also known to have had C.difficile, between April 2004 and September 2006. | The watchdog examined a sample of 50 patients out of a total of 345 to whom various causes of death had been attributed, but who were also known to have had C.difficile, between April 2004 and September 2006. |
| It concluded that C.difficile - a bacterial infection of the gut which mainly affects the elderly - was definitely or probably the main cause of death for 90 patients. | It concluded that C.difficile - a bacterial infection of the gut which mainly affects the elderly - was definitely or probably the main cause of death for 90 patients. |
| It was definitely a contributing factor in the deaths of a further 124, and a probable factor in another 55. | It was definitely a contributing factor in the deaths of a further 124, and a probable factor in another 55. |
| Nurse shortages | Nurse shortages |
| The Healthcare Commission said that despite Ms Gibbs's resignation, nothing short of a full review of the trust's leadership would be appropriate in the circumstances. | The Healthcare Commission said that despite Ms Gibbs's resignation, nothing short of a full review of the trust's leadership would be appropriate in the circumstances. |
| Commodes were not properly cleaned after use | Commodes were not properly cleaned after use |
| It described the trust as one which had been facing some "serious challenges", not least those brought on by a recent merger. | It described the trust as one which had been facing some "serious challenges", not least those brought on by a recent merger. |
| But it suggested that the board's fixation with meeting financial targets got in the way of making sure safety was a priority, and it accused members of not addressing problems consistently raised by patients and staff. | But it suggested that the board's fixation with meeting financial targets got in the way of making sure safety was a priority, and it accused members of not addressing problems consistently raised by patients and staff. |
| These included the shortage of nurses, which in turn led to poor care for patients. | These included the shortage of nurses, which in turn led to poor care for patients. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Thorough washing, using soap and hot water and the use of aseptic technique is required. Tony, UK Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Thorough washing, using soap and hot water and the use of aseptic technique is required. Tony, UK Send us your comments |
| Patients with C.difficile were also moved between wards, increasing the risk of infection. | Patients with C.difficile were also moved between wards, increasing the risk of infection. |
| In some instances this was due to concerns about meeting the government's targets for waiting times for treatment in A&E wards, the report said. | In some instances this was due to concerns about meeting the government's targets for waiting times for treatment in A&E wards, the report said. |
| Isolation wards were few and far between, and sometimes the infected were simply kept in the middle of the ward. | Isolation wards were few and far between, and sometimes the infected were simply kept in the middle of the ward. |
| Saying sorry | Saying sorry |
| The commission noted there were "worrying similarities" with the last serious C.difficile outbreak it had investigated at Stoke Mandeville hospital, in which 30 patients died. | The commission noted there were "worrying similarities" with the last serious C.difficile outbreak it had investigated at Stoke Mandeville hospital, in which 30 patients died. |
| MAIDSTONE AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS TRUST Maidstone HospitalKent and Sussex HospitalPembury Hospital | MAIDSTONE AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS TRUST Maidstone HospitalKent and Sussex HospitalPembury Hospital |
| Both involved old hospitals, both had recently undergone mergers, and at both the boards were "preoccupied with finance". | Both involved old hospitals, both had recently undergone mergers, and at both the boards were "preoccupied with finance". |
| The commission is urging trusts to treat C.difficile as a condition in its own right, rather than a complicating factor. | The commission is urging trusts to treat C.difficile as a condition in its own right, rather than a complicating factor. |
| In addition, antibiotics should be used with utmost care in treating the condition, as they can easily make it worse by killing the so-called "friendly" bacteria in the gut which help the body fight it. | In addition, antibiotics should be used with utmost care in treating the condition, as they can easily make it worse by killing the so-called "friendly" bacteria in the gut which help the body fight it. |
| The government has pledged £140m to tackle C.difficile as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. | The government has pledged £140m to tackle C.difficile as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. |