C.diff 'a factor' in ward death

Older people with serious illnesses are most at risk of developing C.diff

The clostridium difficile infection has contributed to the death of a hospital patient in Renfrewshire.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said eight cases of C.diff had been found in one ward at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital over a four-week period.

The infection was a contributory factor the death of one patient. Another later died from an unrelated condition.

The cases come after Scotland's worst ever outbreak of C.diff at the Vale of Leven Hospital in Dunbartonshire.

Nine people died there and more than 50 were infected between December and June this year.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) said an outbreak control team had been set up to investigate the latest outbreak at the Royal Alexandra.

A statement said two patients had since died - with C.diff a contributory factor in one of the deaths.

Five of the six remaining patients were no longer showing signs of the infection but were being "nursed in isolation".

Nine people died at the Vale of Leven after an outbreak of C.diff

Another patient has been discharged.

As a precautionary measure the affected ward is not admitting any new patients.

The cases at the Royal Alexandra come one month after a report into the outbreak at Vale of Leven Hospital.

NHS GGC was forced to apologise after an independent inquiry blamed inadequate infection control procedures and poor hygiene at the Vale.

Health board chief executive, Tom Divers, said a new system for "surveillance of infections" had been introduced across all of the authority's hospitals.

A copy of the independent inquiry report has since been passed to the procurator fiscal to see if charges should be brought.

Families affected during that outbreak at the Vale have also said they will take legal action.