‘Crumlin contamination scare must not happen again’

OUR Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin and the HSE must do all in their power to ensure all measures are taken to prevent another contamination scare like the one that broke last week, a local Sinn Fein representative has said.

The mix up occurred when two colonoscopes, a medical instrument that is used in bowel examinations, were found to be contaminated earlier this month and were subsequently quarantined.

It was discovered that one of the colonoscopies was contaminated with the potentially serious ESBL bug while the presence of the Klebsiella bug, which has no associated health risks, was detected on the other.

Eighteen patients exposed to this scope were checked in error for ESBL and were later reassured that they had not been affected.

Meanwhile, seven different patients exposed to the other scope but initially not contacted by the hospital had potentially been affected by the ESBL bug.

The hospital has since contacted the families of the seven and intends to test them to see if they have been infected by the instrument with the ESBL bug.

HSE director general Tony O’Brien described the incidents as a

“catastrophic failure of the incident management process

? while the hospital apologised for the confusion.

However, Sinn Féin’s representative for the Ballyfermot/ Drimnagh area, Daithí Doolan, said the hospital and the HSE must do all in their power to reassure parents and children and ensure that such an incident will not occur again.

“Crumlin provides excellent care for children and it requires enhanced support from Government, something Sinn Féin have repeatedly urged on Health Minister James Reilly,

? he said.