Clostridium Difficile Infection and the Healthcare Commission

Following the recent Clostridium Difficile Infection crisis the healthcare Commisssion published a report which found that an NHS Trusts handling of the Clostridium Difficile Infection resulted in the deaths of 90 patients.

The report is highly critical of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, the investigation stating that the Trust managers were preoccupied with adhering to financial targets.

The report lists the factors that contributed to Clostridium Difficile Infection outbreak as:

* Nurses not washing hands;
* Commodes not being emptied or cleaned;
* Patients not being helped to go to the toilet;
* Clean mattresses not being provided;
* Aprons or gloves not being worn.

All these factors are basic measures to ensure that outbreaks such as this Clostridium Difficile Infection do not occur. However, it appears that these basic measures were not adhered to in the struggle to meet Government targets.

Whilst it is appreciated that the task of eradicating superbugs such as C.Difficile and MRSA is a difficult one, patient care should be the number one priority and never second to finance.

Obviously it is a difficult balancing act but basic hygiene should never be forgotten.

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