Lanarkshire hospital linked to fatal listeria outbreak in England

A Lanarkshire hospital was supplied with sandwiches and salads linked to a fatal listeria outbreak.

Five people have died in an outbreak in England which is related to pre-packed food supplied to 43 NHS trusts by the Good Food Chain.

NHS Lanarkshire has confirmed Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride was one of the sites involved.

The board said products were removed immediately and no cases of listeriosis had been reported in Scotland.

University Hospital Hairmyres was previously supplied with potentially-infected sandwiches and salads from the company.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock made a statement at Westminster on Monday confirming the 43 health trusts that were potentially affected by the outbreak.

To date, nine cases of listeriosis linked to the outbreak have been identified in seven English hospitals. Five of the nine patients have died.

Listeriosis is the bacterial infection most commonly caused by listeria.

Dr John Logan, NHS Lanarkshire's consultant in public health medicine said: "NHS Lanarkshire has been working closely with Health Protection Scotland and Food Standards Scotland as part of the UK-wide response to the listeriosis outbreak associated with some sandwiches and salads provided by the Good Food Chain company to NHS Trusts in England and to one hospital in Scotland - University Hospital Hairmyres in Lanarkshire.

"As soon as we were alerted to the situation in England, we immediately took steps to prevent people from consuming potentially-affected sandwiches, withdrawing products supplied by the Good Food Chain company."

He added: "We also informed hospital clinicians and GPs of the situation, highlighting appropriate investigations to undertake if anyone were to develop possible symptoms or signs of listeriosis infection.

"No cases of listeriosis linked to this outbreak have been identified in Scotland and the chance of listeriosis occurring in Lanarkshire residents is low."

NHS Lanarkshire said that those at risk of developing the infection were Hairmyres patients, anyone who visited the hospital canteen, and anyone who ate sandwiches and salads from the Good Food Chain company during April, May or the first five days of June.

Symptoms would resemble mild symptoms of gastroenteritis including sickness and diarrhoea lasting a short time.

Most cases would not require treatment but infection in some specific groups may cause concern.

Dr Logan said: "It can have more serious consequences for young infants, older people, people with pre-existing health conditions, including people who have a suppressed immune system, and pregnant women. People in these groups who think they may have consumed products from the Good Food Chain Company should seek medical attention if they experience symptoms of infection."

Last week, Public Health England confirmed two patients from Manchester Royal Infirmary and one at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool had died.

It is not yet known where the latest two victims were receiving treatment.

The first case showed symptoms on 25 April and sandwiches and salads were withdrawn on 25 May, as soon as a link with the cases was suspected.

The Good Food Chain had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats, which subsequently produced a positive test result for the outbreak strain of listeria.