Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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388. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the recent reports of a drug resistant superbug being a factor in seven deaths in University Hospital Limerick; his views on the matter; the steps being taken to deal with the resistant infections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41953/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the publication on Tuesday 9 October last of this valuable Report.

My Department and I have been kept informed of the external review commissioned last year by University of Limerick Hospitals Group, regarding patients with CPE and concerns regarding whether CPE was a factor in the deaths of a number of these patients. An internal review was also conducted. The final Report combines the two review findings.

I am aware that this final Report was produced on foot of concerns raised under Protected Disclosures procedures and also concern by the University of Limerick Hospitals Group about the increase in detection of the 'superbug' CPE in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) in recent years.

I note that the Report found that out of a final group of 73 patients in which CPE was detected from February 2009 to May 2017, 8 patient deaths were identified in whom CPE was considered to be a contributory factor. The conclusion of the external review, however, which ULHG has accepted, was that no deaths were a direct result of CPE acquisition. All 8 patients had serious underlying diseases and co-morbidity factors

In addition, of the remaining 65 deceased patients, the external reviewer concluded that CPE was found not to have been an associative factor in their deaths.

This is an important finding and will inform the work already ongoing in my Department and the HSE to tackle healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance (HCAI/AMR).

My Department has provided funding to expand the HSE HCAI/AMR National Team and Implementation Leads to progress work on HCAIs/AMR across the HSE, including Hospital Groups and Community Healthcare Organisations. My Department has also provided funding for additional capacity in Infection Prevention and Control and laboratory services. This includes posts for University Hospital Limerick.

I have been assured that ULHG have measures in place to appropriately support and manage patient care needs in line with national and international best practice.

Internationally, AMR is recognised as a world wide challenge. The World Health Organisation and European Union are supporting countries in taking a 'One Health' or cross sectoral approach to addressing AMR, including the spread of organisms such as CPE.

Last October, I launched Ireland's National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2020, known as iNAP, with Minister Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The HSE continues to address the management and prevention of healthcare associated infections, including these so-called superbugs, and Ireland is fully engaged in proactively addressing this world-wide challenge.