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Lives of Elderly Hospital Patients At Risk
By Paul Maguire, RTE News
Ireland
October 26, 2007
The lives of elderly nursing home patients are being put at risk by the actions of acute hospitals, according to the Irish Nursing Homes Organisation.
This follows revelations that an 84-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with Clostridium Difficile, was sent to a nursing home by hospital staff despite being gravely ill and a serious risk to other patients.
Clostridium Difficile, or C-Diff, is a hospital acquired infection which is life threatening if contracted by vulnerable groups such as hospital patients or the elderly.
It is transmitted through direct contact with patients, healthcare workers or an infected environment.
One of the Ireland's leading coroners has called for an overhaul of the reporting and recording of all hospital acquired infections.
Bridie Frazer was admitted to St James's Hospital in January when she fractured her ankle.
Three weeks later the 84-year-old was sent to a private nursing home, despite protests from her family. She subsequently died after she contracted C-Diff.
Her family was not told that Ms Frazer had died from C-Diff.
Ms Frazer was one of at least three elderly people who contracted C-Diff and subsequently died in St James's Hospital during January and February.
In a statement the hospital said that it is not a policy to transfer C-Diff patients and that this should not have happened.
The statement also says that issues raised by a number of families have been dealt with.
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