Cheltenham hospital admits failing man who died after using contaminated shower
Summary
A man named Chris Elliot died after using a shower contaminated with harmful bacteria while receiving cancer treatment in a hospital in Cheltenham. The hospital trust admitted it failed to provide safe care because it did not act when the bacteria was first found, leading to a fine of £300,000.Key Facts
- Chris Elliot, 59, was treated for leukaemia at Cheltenham General Hospital.
- A dangerous bacteria called pseudomonas aeruginosa was found on a shower head in the room before Elliot was admitted.
- The hospital trust did not take action to fix the contamination or warn staff.
- Elliot used the contaminated shower and became infected, leading to his death two weeks after admission.
- The hospital trust admitted it failed to provide safe care, which is a criminal offense.
- The trust was fined £300,000 for this failure.
- The bacteria can live in damp places like taps and shower heads and can be harmful to people with weak immune systems.
- The hospital’s water safety group had not met for nine months, though it should have met every three months.
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