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Special team tackling high infection rates
The trust running Hemel Hempstead Hospital has been ranked 17th worst in the country for infections.
West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust had 3.83 cases of clostridium difficile (C.diff) per 1,000 patients aged over 65 - well above the national average of 2.93.
The figures are the latest available from the Health Protection Agency.
They also show that in the first three months of this year the trust had a total of 230 infections – only five trusts countrywide had more.
The trust's infection rate is even higher than that at crisis-hit Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, where c.diff has been linked to 90 deaths.
The situation meant that a special team from the Department of Health visited the trust in August to draw up an action plan to tackle the problem.
A report to the trust's board says of the team's visit: "They commented on the levels of cleanliness, in particular use of correct cleaning products and materials for the different areas and the reintroduction of the rapid response cleaning team, trained to undertake deep cleaning of clinical areas."
Isolation wards have been set up across the trust in a bid to stop disease spreading.
Meanwhile, MRSA rates at the trust continue to cause concern with 10 new cases in July and August against a target of 18 new infections for the entire year.
C.diff spreads through the air in spores from diarrhoea and can be fatal.
Mr Penning, a shadow health minister, said it had been reported to him that a patient had died at Watford General Hospital in the past week because of C.diff.
"I cannot understand why we can't get this under control," he said.
"It's basic hygiene and cleanliness, being careful with antibiotics and where possible not pushing bed occupancy rates so high.
"They are pushing people through the system to get waiting lists down, but putting their lives at risk.
"If people are being put into beds that are still warm the transfer of disease is obvious."
In a statement the trust said it had implemented new policies for antibiotics, patient isolation and cleaning methods while C.diff cases were monitored on a daily basis.
New bowel management devices helped stop the spread of disease and strict handwashing and cleanliness guidelines were in place.
The trust said there were no cases of bugs at St Albans City Hospital.
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
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