NHS Trust faces Criminal Charges Over 300 Superbug Fatalities

An NHS Trust may be facing criminal charges for it’s role in the highest ever number of deaths from the clostridium difficile superbug. In just a few months there were 300 fatalities due to being infected with the deadly C diff bug outbreaks in three hospitals.

A study carried out by the Healthcare Commission found “significant failings” at all levels of the hospitals’ management. The report blames the poor staffing, unclean wards and too much time spent on meeting the Government targets.

An astonishing 345 patients died while being infected with C diff, with 21 of those definitely dying of the disease with 69 probably having it as their main cause of death.

This figure was higher than the number first declared by the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to the media and the commission. 1,000 patients were infected with C Diff over only three hospitals; Kent & Sussex Hospital, Pembury Hospital and Maidstone Hospital.

The watchdog’s has sent its report to the Health & Safety Executive and Kent Police, which will then decide whether there are any grounds for criminal charges.

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