MINISTER FOR Health Mary Harney has said funding for a microbiologist in St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, was in place, but the HSE has been unable to fill the post.
The Minister was responding to a call from Dublin county coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty for the position of microbiologist at the south Dublin hospital to be filled following the deaths of 16 people from hospital-acquired infections there over a seven-month period in 2007. Ten of the 16 deaths were from Clostridium difficile, commonly known as C diff.
Speaking yesterday, Ms Harney said a request was made for a microbiologist at St Columcille's Hospital and funding was made available. "It's been advertised on a number of occasions and it's been very difficult to get the expertise for the hospital," she said.
She added the HSE was anxious to ensure the expertise was provided, but it hasn't been possible to recruit. "I understand the microbiologist located in St Vincent's hospital provides some cover."
Ms Harney said the issue of hospital-acquired infections was one facing health services around the world. She said a national plan in relation to hospital-acquired infections aims to reduce incidence "by 20 per cent in the next number of years" and by 30 per cent in the case of MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus).
"The most effective way of doing that is by reducing antibiotic use by 20 per cent," she said.
She said Dr Geraghty's report, along with other reports, was an important tool in making sure the best standards of safety were implemented in a hospital environment.
She did not accept that media reports of deaths from hospital-acquired infections made people frightened of going in to hospitals.
"Life expectancy in Ireland in the years between 1999 and 2005 increased by three years and a child born in Ireland today will live longer than a child born in several other European countries, including Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and UK, so there are huge positives with our healthcare system."
Ms Harney also said the Department of Health would be publishing data about incidents of hospital-acquired infections on a hospital-by-hospital basis.
"When we have that data it will be reviewed every three months so we will be able to monitor the performance of hospitals," she said.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said a microbiologist should be appointed without delay at St Columcille's to co-ordinate an effective infection control policy at the hospital. He said support from St Vincent's hospital was simply not enough.
"Health Minister Mary Harney must instruct HSE CEO Prof Brendan Drumm to take a hands-on approach, and to ensure that every step possible is taken to get a consultant microbiologist in place in Loughlinstown as a matter of utmost urgency.
"It is, after all, a matter of life and death."
Fine Gael Seanad health spokeswoman Senator Frances Fitzgerald said the deaths would further undermine confidence in the health service.
"Minister Mary Harney was either deluded or dishonest when she suggested that patients were not afraid to go into hospital."
She said the Loughlinstown cases followed a report on 15 deaths at Ennis General Hospital involving C diff.
