Patient contracted hepatitis c from hospital
Posted: January 28, 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence NHS Claims
NHS Lanarkshire has apologised after a patient became infected with hepatitis C during their time at hospital. The health board said that they were unsure as to how the patient became infected with the blood-borne virus, but said that infection control procedures at their hospitals had been tightened as a result. The patient had been at Monklands Hospital in April 2012 when the virus was detected, alongside seven other patients who were all checked for the infection.
Hepatitis C is an infection usually contracted through blood-to-blood contact, but can sometimes be transmitted through sexual intercourse. If the virus is left untreated, it can cause chronic liver disease, and even sometimes cancer of the liver.
“Providing the highest standards”
Dr Iain Wallace, NHS Lanarkshire’s medical director, apologised for the spread of infection and said that infection control standards would be greatly improved following this recent scare.
With regards to “providing the highest standards of infection control”, he continued: “It is of the greatest regret that on this occasion we did not do so. We have already used the lessons learned from this case to make further improvements to our infection control processes and practice.”
An investigation was carried out at Monklands Hospital in November, where health inspectors recognised failings in infection control procedures at the hospital for the second time in nine months.
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