AN investigation into how baby Luke Day contracted MRSA at Ipswich Hospital is today moving in to its final stages.A team of independent experts were called in after the hospital's own inquiries drew a blank, and work is progressing steadily.
AN investigation into how baby Luke Day contracted MRSA at Ipswich Hospital is today moving in to its final stages.
A team of independent experts were called in after the hospital's own inquiries drew a blank, and work is progressing steadily.
The team have been working in the hospital since April 29 and are looking at all the circumstances surrounding Luke's death in an attempt to determine exactly how it happened.
Interviews with staff began on May 16 and an analysis of all the information gathered so far will begin on Monday.
A report on their findings is expected to be produced in late June.
The seven-strong panel is made up of experts from within the hospital as well as the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority. There are also two members from the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust who have specialist knowledge of infection control.
They will be looking at whether or not all the correct procedures were followed during and after Luke's birth and will also look more widely at the hospital's infection control policy.
Their findings, which are expected to include a list of recommendations, will be taken to the board of Ipswich Hospital and the board of the SHA when complete.
Jan Rowsell, hospital spokeswoman, said: "Whatever the outcome is, good or bad, it will be made public as soon as possible.
"We promised to do everything possible to answer and explain what led to Luke's death and we remain committed to doing this."
Luke died at the hospital in February just 36 hours after he was born. When tests revealed that he had contracted MRSA an immediate internal inquiry was launched in the hospital.
This included extensive swabbing of staff and ward areas but failed to find the source of the superbug.
What do you think of the inquiry? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
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