More non-emergency procedures have been postponed at the Western General Hospital following the outbreak of a bacterial infection in a ward last week. The ward closure will now remain in place until Thursday at the earliest.
The decision was taken, as a precaution, to maintain the highest standards of patient safety pending the results of rounds of rigorous testing.
The multidisciplinary Incident Management Team (IMT) said that normal practice could not be resumed until the test results were available to provide safety assurance.
Professor Alex McMahon, Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, said: “The IMT has decided to continue the suspension of elective procedures within the specialty, until Thurdsay, until test results are confirmed.
“We do not have the necessary assurance that we require to resume normal services.
“I know this will be disappointing and frustrating for patients, who are scheduled in for a procedure in the early part of this week, and I apologise to them for the inconvenience and disruption this will cause.
“I would reassure them, however, that patient safety is the priority in any decision we make and we are doing everything we can to return to normal as quickly as possible.
“We have contacted all of the affected patients directly and will provide a new appointment for each of them as quickly as possible.
“In the meantime, all necessary infection control measures are in place and the situation will continue to be reviewed and monitored very closely.”
The decision was taken after a very small number of patients in a ward were identified with an infection caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The cases, which are not linked, continue to be treated and the patients are being monitored very closely. There have been no new cases.
The bacteria was identified in a shower and some taps in one area of a ward in the same department. The bacteria is common and rarely affects healthy individuals, but it can be harmful to a small number of patients who are very vulnerable to infection.
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