NHS warns doctors after superbug death

HEALTH bosses have sent a stark superbug warning to doctors after the death of a patient where NHS failings are expected.

The “risk alert”, supplied to The Silhillian under the Freedom of Information Act, warns doctors not to prescribe certain drugs.

A Solihull NHS Care Trust report described a “death directly attributable” to superbug Clostridium difficile.

It said: “Early indications are that there were failures on a number of levels from hospital discharge through to management of symptoms in the community.”

The alert sent to doctors says: “Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea is an increasingly common complication of treatment with specific antibiotic groups.

“Whilst individuals over 65 years of age are at increased risk, it is possible for younger patients to develop this infection.

“Increasingly patients who have been on antibiotics may present with diarrhoea.

“To prevent the potentially serious consequences of this infection, the prompt identification of infection is essential.

“You should consider Clostridium difficile infection as a potential diagnosis if patients have been receiving antibiotics either prescribed in the community or following recent hospital treatment.”

It adds: “Stool specimens must be obtained for investigation (including C.diff).

“Loperamide and other anti-motility agents MUST NOT be prescribed if you consider C.diff to be a potential diagnosis.”

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NHS failures expected over superbug death

SOLIHULL health bosses say NHS failures are suspected over a superbug death.

Solihull Care Trust has admitted faults are likely to be found over the care of an un-named patient who died from clostridium difficile.

A report says: “There has been a death directly attributable to Clostridium difficile which is under investigation.

“Early indications are that there were failures on a number of levels from hospital discharge through to management of symptoms in the community.

“An internal alert has been issued to GPs regarding not prescribing loperamide in diarrhoea where C.diff is a potential diagnosis.”

No further information is given by the trust. It has been raised as a “serious untoward incident” as the infection is noted on the death certificate.

Loperamide is named in official NHS guidance for patients as the drug used to relieve symptoms of diarrhoea. Patients do not need a prescriptions.

There has been nationwide concerns about patients being too quickly discharged from hospital without the services being ready to care for them in the community.

Along with MRSA, clostridium difficile is the most well known hospital acquired infection.

It is a bacterium that thrives when antibiotics are introduced into the body, common in hospital. Older people are most at risk, NHS guidance states.

It says: “Most people with a C. diff infection make a full recovery. However, in rare cases, the infection can be fatal.”

The care trust, which decides where NHS cash is spent in the borough, said it was on course to reduce C.diff and MRSA.

To read the trust report download the folder here (4.4mb) and open 2009.253 DIPC Quarter 2 report_1.