Glasgow hospital infection inquiry – How under Scottish Labour, hospitals were ‘death traps’ of hospital acquired infections and how Nicola Sturgeon sorted it reducing the level to an eighth of the level in England and a third of the level in Europe.

BBC News 9 January 2017

In the midst of the frenzy of ill-informed reporting on the Glasgow hospital infections inquiry, important facts you’ll never hear.

From the Journal of Hospital Infections in November 2012:

The prevalence of HAI was 4.9%, 2.5%, 6.1% and 1.2% in acute, non-acute, paediatric and independent hospitals respectively [in Scotland in 2006]. 

https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(12)00277-0/abstract

From the Scottish Public Health Observatory, in 2024:

The most recent comprehensive data on hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in Scotland comes from a 2021 study led by Glasgow Caledonian University, commissioned by the Scottish Government. This study, published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, found that approximately 1% of hospital patients in Scotland develop HAIs annually, equating to about 7,500 patients each year. This incidence rate is notably lower than previous UK estimates (7.8%) and recent European figures (3%). 

https://www.scotpho.org.uk/health-conditions/infections/data/healthcare-associated-infections/

So, hospital acquired infections under the SNP are between a fifth and a half of the level in 2006, under Labour, an eighth of the level in England and a third of the level in Europe.

Why, so good?

 In Scotland, the decision was taken in 2008, against the background of major problems in British hospitals with infections resistant to treatment. The Scottish ministry of health [Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon] banned any further contracting-out of these services, so that when existing contracts expire all work returns and remains in-house. It also financed the employment of 600 extra cleaners to raise standards of cleanliness.

https://www.epsu.org/article/uk-hospital-cleaning-brought-house-scotland-wales-n-ireland

New research shows that NHS hospitals that employ private cleaners are associated with a higher incidence of MRSA, a ‘superbug’ that causes life-threatening infection and has previously been linked with a lack of cleanliness…on average, the incidence of MRSA infection between 2005 and 2009 was 2.28 in every 100,000 bed days in trusts that outsourced their cleaning, compared with 1.46 bed days in trusts that used in-house cleaners –.a difference of almost 50 per cent. 

The research was conducted by the University of Oxford, with the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. 

http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2016-12-21-nhs-hospitals-outsource-cleaning-%E2%80%98linked-higher-rates-mrsa%E2%80%99

8 thoughts on “Glasgow hospital infection inquiry – How under Scottish Labour, hospitals were ‘death traps’ of hospital acquired infections and how Nicola Sturgeon sorted it reducing the level to an eighth of the level in England and a third of the level in Europe.”

  1. My mother in law was hospitalised in Birmingham after a fall. It took 2 days to decide whether her injury warranted surgery or not but in that time she succumbed to a hospital acquired infection and was dead within 4 days.

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  3. I’ve said before a friend worked at Scottish NHS when Labour were in power at Holyrood…was always having to take time off due to hospital aquired infections. The Labour branch office in Scotland have a lot to answer for…I mean people must have died because of THEIR decision to outsource cleaning services at hospitals…absolutely disgusting. The news should be about people who lost loved ones suing Labour for their condemning so many to die because of their greed no doubt benefitting from contracts they handed out. Disgusting.

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    1. To let you know how bad it was in NHS Scotland during Labour’s time in Holyrood even the Herald was reporting frequently on the infection levels in hospitals particularly MRSA infections which in many cases proved to be lethal. Around 10% or more of the patients in hospital at any one time had MRSA.

      As to outsourcing hospital cleaning that began under the ToriesbbutvLabour did nothing to reverse it.

      Ms Sturgeon as Health Secretary took that situation by the scruff of its neck and s

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      1. Posted before I had finished – wayward fingers.

        Ms Sturgeon sorted that situation and much else besides. That experience as Health Secretary probably stood her in good Stead when it came to dealing with the pandemic.

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