Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Health and Children, further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 27 and 28 of 17 September 2009, the position regarding Louth County Hospital; the reason this Deputy did not receive a response from the Health Service Executive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42462/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I have received an undertaking from the HSE that a reply will issue to the Deputy within the next week.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has responded to a recent letter from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding Louth County Hospital. [42463/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I am considering the matter raised in the letter and will revert to Minister Gormley shortly.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on the position regarding the outbreak of C. difficile at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, County Louth. [42464/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards of hygiene in our hospitals and health care facilities generally is a priority for this government and for the Health Service Executive (HSE). Hygiene and infection control measures are key to the prevention of the spread of Health Care Associated Infection (HCAIs), including Clostridium difficile.

The HSE issued a statement on 28th October advising the public of an outbreak of C. difficile at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. Currently the hospital has 10 patients confirmed with C. difficile and 11 patients are symptomatic. As a precaution, if a patient dies who may have been exposed to or who had contracted C. diff, their death is notified to the Coroner, who is responsible for determining if C. difficile was the cause of and/or contributory factor to their death. Since 6th November in consultation with the Louth County Coroner the HSE's Clinical Director has agreed that all deaths occurring at the hospital during the escalation phase of the outbreak will be notified to the Coroner as a matter of routine. Prior to 6th November two deaths involving C. difficile as a suspected contributory factor were notified to the Coroner and since 6th November, there have been a further four deaths in total at the hospital and they have all been notified to the Coroner. The HSE expects that a number of these cases will not be attributable to C. difficile.

I have been assured by the HSE that all appropriate infection control procedures and practices have been implemented at the Hospital. The Hospital's Outbreak Committee has been convened and is managing the outbreak. The Committee has in addition sourced specialists to assist with deep cleaning of affected wards and hospital equipment; specialist engineers have been drafted in to decontaminate most of the affected areas of the hospital and these measures will continue on an ongoing basis. Restrictions remain in place at the hospital and GP and ambulance services have been requested to refer adult patients with medical complaints to other appropriate hospitals.

Members of the public are asked to only attend the Emergency Departments at the hospital in the case of a genuine emergency and to contact their GP or out-of-hours service in the first instance. Visiting restrictions remain in place and where visitors are permitted they are being advised of the need for appropriate hygiene protocols including thorough hand washing. All elective admissions, including elective scopes have been cancelled until further notice. Measures have been put in place to deal with all Priority 1 endoscopy procedures i.e. urgent endoscopes for diagnostic to therapeutic purposes. Surgical services continue to be provided across the Louth Meath Hospital Group. Contingency arrangements are in place in Beaumont Hospital for Level 2 and Level 3 surgery (e.g. acute surgical or urgent elective).

As the outbreak continues all of the above are being reviewed on a daily basis and all appropriate measures will be taken to ensure timely access to quality safe services in line with patient need.