Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister of State mentioned, there were unannounced inspections in November 2014 and January 2015, yet the incidence of multidrug resistant infections continues to increase in the hospital in spite of many of the deficiencies identified in the HIQA inspection being addressed. The incidence of CPE infection, which is just one of several multidrug resistant infections, is increasing at an alarming rate in the hospital and new cases continue to occur. An internal report dated July 2016 highlighted the extent of the problem. In 2009, there was one case; in 2010, two; in 2011, 11; in 2012, nine; in 2013, three, yet in 2014 there were 33 and in 2015, 53, and in the first two quarters of this year 19 new cases were identified. Those charged with identification of infected patients are obviously efficient in detecting and identifying the problem, yet infection prevention measures in the hospital are failing to adequately control the spread of multidrug infection. Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing is undoubtedly an underlying factor. However, factors which contribute to the spread of the infection continue to be poor quality of cleanliness in the environment, inattention to hand hygiene, overcrowding in the emergency departments and overcrowding in the corridors and wards with lack of isolation rooms. The physical capacity of the hospital to accommodate the population of the catchment area and the number of frail elderly patients exposed to the high risk of infection is inadequate.

All these factors contribute to infection risk and lead to failure to control the problem. Overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick and presumably in other hospitals is putting patients’ health and lives at risk for many reasons, in particular exposing patients to multidrug resistant infections. An external independent investigation needs to be carried out urgently, especially in the light of information that at least 29 patients may have had multidrug resistant infection as a contributory cause in their deaths.

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