Family slam infection control at Basildon Hospital (From Southend Standard)

Family slam infection control at Basildon Hospital

8:20pm Monday 11th March 2013 in Echo News By Chloe Chapman

THE family of a woman who contracted MRSA at Basildon Hospital claim infection control to stop the bug spreading was not good enough.

Vivienne Stephens, 68, was admitted on Christmas Day after being struck down with pneumonia and severe chest pains.

Her condition worsened and in the early hours of New Years Day she suffered a massive stroke, which she will never recover from.

At the time of admission, checks confirmed she did not have MRSA, but she subsequently picked up the bug on the Lister Ward and was put into isolation.
 

Her husband John, 65, said: “When we got onto the High Dependency Unit I asked a nurse about the MRSA but she just told me not worry about it. It seems a ridiculous thing to say, of course I am going to worry about something so serious.

“I visit religiously every afternoon and evening and I always put a gown on, but another nurse told me I don’t have to do that and she only does because she is going to other wards.

“We are in contact with a lot of other people, but the staff don’t seem overly bothered. I suspect that as they only have one case of MRSA at the moment they think they have it under control, but I’m sure it can quickly escalate.”

A spokesman for Basildon Hospital said steps had been taken to reduce MRSA levels with relatives given clear instructions on how to avoid spreading the bug.

He added: “If a patient is identified as having MRSA, strict procedures are followed so that we can manage and treat them appropriately.”