MRSA & Families Network
6th September 2007
Members of MRSA and Families Network met with the Taoiseach on the 6th September, 2007. They took their concerns about the level of hospital acquired infections to him, and made a number of requests of him. These were:
1) Adoption of proper ‘World Class’ goals in relation to hospital acquired infection.
2) Hand Hygiene and other SARI guidelines be made mandatory under an updated 1947 Health Act.
3) The appointment of a National Director of Infection Prevention and Control.
4) Incidence of death from MRSA or other HAI be properly recorded.
5) We demand that patients who have an MRSA infection (and family members) be properly informed.
6) Proper and adequate care is given to MRSA casualties in the community immediately without lengthy and distressing begging, and waste is properly disposed of.
7) More beds and more isolation rooms.
8) Rapid detection systems.
9) A Compensation Board so that those who have lost limbs, livelihoods, relationships and health are properly and speedily recompensed without having to go through lengthy and expensive legal cases. This is supported by evidence that SARI guidelines were not being implemented.
10) Hospital managements to provide non-personal information from the legal representatives of MRSA casualties under the Freedom of Information Acts, 1997-2003.
Present at the meeting with the Taoiseach were Dr. Patrick Doorley, National Director, Population Health with the HSE, Dr. Kevin Kelleher, Assistant National Director, Population Health, Deputy Niall Blaney who organised the meeting, and Mr. Mulligan from the Department of Health and Children.
The Taoiseach welcomed the organisation members and said that he was aware of the problem posed by Hospital Acquired Infections. He said that they had been with us for a long time, and would be here for a long time to come. He said that he was also aware that the HSE were doing a lot to combat the incidence of infection. Dr. Doorley said that, as leader of the task force on HAIs, he had adopted realistic goals for its reduction in the future, and through education and encouragement it was hoped to change the culture in the hospitals and ensure compliance with guidelines.
Noeleen Friel thanked the Taoiseach for receiving the delegation, and Deputy Blaney for his help in setting up the meeting. She said that in spite of what the HSE claimed they were doing, the experience she and her family had of care in the community was far from satisfactory. She said that, through no fault of her own, because of MRSA, she and her husband have become carers of her son, Ronan, and they are accorded no help from those supposed to be supplying it in the community, and are not consulted or kept informed. Their feelings or opinions are not taken into consideration. She said that she was not prepared to put up with the situation any longer.
Margaret Dawson seconded what Noeleen had said about care in the community, and said that she had been robbed of a partner and her children of a father, since her husband, Joe, became disabled through MRSA. She complained of the lack of information in the hospital, and said that if a nurse had not taken the role of ‘whistle-blower’ she wouldn’t have known what was making Joe so ill. If proper information had been forthcoming, there would have been no need for her to set up MRSA and Families Network. Margaret said that something needed to be done now to maintain the standards of hygiene in the hospitals. She acknowledged that there are many dedicated and skilled healthcare personnel in Ireland who are doing an excellent job, but there are some who are not interested in controlling and preventing infection.
Tony Kavanagh said that his professional background was in management training, and that he had to give up his occupation because he had been infected with MRSA. He has been grievously injured by the health care system, and feels that he has no option by to seek redress. Tony described the Advocacy Scheme he has set up in the west of Ireland, and how he has already helped patients achieve their rights. He asked the Taoiseach if he could help to get this scheme funded.
Teresa Graham criticised the goals set by the HSE for infection reduction as being inadequate, and suggested that the only way to ensure a change of culture was to legislate for it as had been done in the cases of smoking in the workplace, charging for plastic bags, and spot checks for drink driving. She asked the Taoiseach how many of the ten demands made by MRSA and Families he could grant immediately. The Taoiseach said that there was no proposal to institute a Redress Board, and if he had the time over there were other Redress Boards he wouldn’t have set up either. So, in spite of the fact that some people find it expensive to pursue legal claims, that is their right and the road which is open to them.
The Taoiseach did, however, appear to be more positive about funding the Advocacy Scheme, and asked Dr. Doorley and Dr. Kelleher to look into the possibility. He suggested that the role of Director of Infection Prevention and Control was being filled by Dr. Doorley, and that isolation rooms were going to be catered for in any new hospital buildings. Dr. Kelleher said that, because the situation in Ireland is different from that in countries like Holland and Norway, the infection control procedures in those countries could not be replicated easily here. He said that in any case, in the meetings he had in Norway, the experts there thought that the HSE was adopting the correct procedures in Ireland. He also said that the 52 posts in infection control announced recently were being proceeded with. It was difficult to fill all the posts but the attempts were continuing. Rapid detection machine are still being validated here, he said.
Ian Simon said that he had more than 200 legal cases pending where there were horrific injuries and deaths caused by MRSA. He said that in the absence of a Redress Board, these would all have to be taken through the courts and he was prepared to do that. He felt that the 1947 Health Act, if it were updated and enforced, would help reduce infections. He pointed out the difficulties he was having in obtaining non-personal information from the hospitals in order to expedite the cases, and said that he was appealing to the Ombudsman in this connection. He feels that this should not have to happen. He also said that there are about 50 cases with Coroners where the cause of death is suspected to be MRSA, and commended the various coroners for their work in this connection.
The Taoiseach ended the meeting by reiteration the Government’s commitment to infection prevention and control by setting up HIQA. This body will set up standards, and, the Taoiseach said, enforce them in health care settings throughout the country. The meeting ended by Deputy Blaney thanking the Taoiseach for meeting the group, and commending MRSA and Families Network for the work they are doing.
|
