Superbug lab in line for chop

The move is being considered as part of a major overhaul at the troubled Vale of Leven hospital, where 18 patients died as a result of the superbug.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon, who has so far resisted calls for a public inquiry into the tragedy, said Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board had to consider all the options.

But Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie yesterday said it was “astonishing” to even consider closing the lab, and called for the plan to be dropped.

She added: “These cuts to a vital hospital service have the potential to damage public confidence in patient safety and clearly go against the wishes of our local communities.

“It is of enormous significance that the very service they are considering closing is the microbiology laboratory that identified the tragic outbreak of C. diff at the hospital earlier this year.

“This proposal is plain stupid. I am astounded that it is even being given consideration at a time when we should be ensuring that the detection of hospital acquired infection is swift and robust.

“Whilst I am told the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are only at the start of a consultation process, I am calling for them to remove this option from the table and retain the labs at the Vale.”

Michelle Stewart, whose mother-in-law Mary McGinty died in the outbreak, said she feared the proposal would put further lives at risk.

She said: “We think it is appalling. One of the big things in the independent review was that the hospital was under-resourced, and now with the labs shutting down it looks as if nothing has changed.

“If they take the labs away then where are they going to do the testing, how much longer is it going to take and how many more people will be put at risk while waiting for the results to come back?”

And Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon also condemned the idea, saying: “I think it would be highly insensitive and irresponsible to even consider closing the lab until the full and thorough investigation has been carried out into the C. diff outbreak.”

Ms Sturgeon confirmed that the health board are reviewing the laboratory services as part of the “Vision for the Vale” consultation process. She added: “It is right that the board consider options to maintain and develop an efficient and effective, modern service in the best interests of patients, and that these options are subject to appropriate engagement with stakeholders.

“Patient safety and the confidence of local communities in their health service is of the utmost importance to me. Any decision to close existing laboratory services at the Vale would ultimately be subject to my approval, and I would have to be convinced by robust evidence that such a move was in the best interests of patients and local people.”

Ms Sturgeon has said she will not order a public inquiry until the police have finished investigating the outbreak, which took place between December 2007 and June this year.

But the C. diff Justice Group, which includes Mrs Stewart, has called for the Health Secretary to quit over the tragedy.