COVID-19: London hospital where 70 staff had to self-isolate must improve infection control

A London hospital hit by a COVID-19 outbreak that required 70 staff to self-isolate has been ordered to take stringent measures to control infection.

Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust declared a COVID-19 outbreak in July and revealed that 70 staff members, some of whom had tested positive, were self-isolating. Ambulances were forced to divert patients to other emergency departments.

An investigation later found that a nurse who had COVID-19 unwittingly infected 16 others during a training session on 30 June, described by one doctor as a “super spreading event.”

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which carried out an unannounced inspection on 4-5 August, has used its urgent enforcement powers to place conditions on the trust’s registration to protect patients and staff.

Nigel Acheson, the CQC’s deputy chief inspector of hospitals, said, “We found a number of concerns relating to infection control and this is why we have taken action to ensure the safety of patients, staff and visitors."

“We have imposed urgent conditions upon the trust’s registration and expect the trust to focus on making the required improvements as a matter of priority. We will return to inspect and ensure that action has been taken and that improvements have been made and are being sustained.”

The trust has been told it must ensure that staff and patients observe social distancing, must place personal protective equipment (PPE) in easily accessible places, and must make sure that staff wear PPE before going into high risk areas.

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Source: BMJ, 9 September 2020