Danger of the superbugs
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The Dublin County Coroner criticised infection control policies at St Colmcille's hospital, Loughlinstown, when it emerged that in three recent inquests, the elderly patients had picked up superbugs while being treated there.
The dangers posed by such bugs to the elderly in particular, are by now all too well known.
Nonetheless, the court was told that Loughlinstown hospital has no designated infection control team, or consultant microbiologist, and a single nurse is in charge of infection control policy at the hospital.
Coroner, Dr Kieran Geraghty told the inquest how he had been concerned himself about previous incidences of the superbug at the hospital and had even written a letter detailing his concerns, but had yet to receive a reply.
The failure to appoint a microbiologist against such a background is difficult to understand.
The notion that eradication of the superbug should be the responsibility of one nurse also seems incredible.
In such a context it is hardly surprising that Dr Geraghty saw fit to express his worries over the presence of the superbug at the hospital, and its policy on infection control.
Especially considering one consultant suggested that one patient might still be alive had she not contracted the superbug.
The nurse who oversees the hospital's defence against the infection pointed out that as yet no meeting on the issue have been held with consultants at St Colmcille's.
This too seems extraordinary in view of the toll that superbugs have already taken on patients.
The coroner's warnings must now be heeded. If it is a question that extra resources must be made available then so be it.
All patients have a right to expect the highest standards of care to which hospitals are committed.
If these standards are compromised due to lack of expertise then someone must be held accountable.
