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NHS faces call for inquiry into 'MRSA death'
Sophie Goodchild, Health and Social Affairs Correspondent9 Jul 2009
A civil servant whose mother died after contracting a hospital superbug has launched a case against the NHS.
Helen Bronstein's mother, Joyce Morrison, 83, was admitted to Princess Alexandra hospital in Harlow with a broken hip.
But the great-grandmother picked up an MRSA infection and died on 13 July last year without leaving the hospital. Ms Bronstein is demanding an inquiry into her mother's "abysmal" care.
She made her complaint as dozens of relatives of superbug victims and campaigners today held a special service of remembrance in London. Families laid wreaths at the Innocent Victims Memorial stone during the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
Initiatives such as deep-cleaning hospitals and improving hygiene standards have cut the rate of hospital infections, but campaigners warn that thousands of people die every year and Britain is still bottom of the European league for MRSA. It also scores badly on tackling MSSA, which is a variant strain of MRSA and nearly killed the actress Leslie Ash. Many trusts have also failed to hit government targets to halve MRSA bloodstream infections.
Ms Bronstein, 53, from Euston, believes her mother picked up the infection from a dirty cloth which X-ray staff used as a makeshift gown. The Essex NHS trust has not explained how she caught the superbug, which triggered an infection in her surgery wound.
"My mother was really bright and engaged. She was treated abysmally and they still won't tell us exactly how she caught MRSA nearly a year on," said Ms Bronstein.
"They took her for an X-ray in a gown but without underwear and instead draped this cloth over her. My fear is that is how she picked up the infection. They didn't tell us she had MRSA until my mother was already dying."
Princess Alexandra hospital apologised for not responding quickly enough to Ms Bronstein's complaint.
A spokesman said: "She (Mrs Morrison) did not die from MRSA but did contract the infection. The hospital has had correspondence with the family and a meeting in January. The family has raised a number of other issues. The hospital apologises for not responding quickly enough."
Derek Butler, chairman of MRSA Action, which organised today's tribute, said: "There have been improvements but rates are still higher than in 1997."
