No-one is on trial, inquiry into 18 deaths told

NO-ONE will be "on trial" when the public inquiry into the deaths of 18 people in a hospital bug outbreak begins in June.

"There will be no dock, no accused, no jury," the inquiry chairman, Lord MacLean, told a packed courtroom at the preliminary hearing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court yesterday.

Relatives of the 18 who died in the Clostridium difficile outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, said the public inquiry seemed a "reality" at last. Lord MacLean said the inquiry, which was ordered by health secretary Nicola Sturgeon last year, would start on 7 June.

A total of 55 patients were struck down by the bug between December 2007 and June 2008. C diff was blamed for nine deaths and was said to be a contributory factor in the other nine.

Speaking after the announcement, Michelle Stewart, whose mother-in-law, Sarah McGinty, was one of those who died, said: "We feel as though this is the first step; it has become a reality now.

The last two years we've fought for this. Going in today, sitting in court, hearing Lord MacLean speak, makes it a reality."

Ms McGinty died two years ago yesterday. Ms Stewart said: "This inquiry started on 1 October, 2009, which was her birthday, and then today we've got the first preliminary hearing, which is her anniversary. Hopefully, it sends out the message that we are going to get what we want out of this."

Ms Stewart, who is a member of the C diff Justice Group, said despite the upset which the inquiry might cause to relatives, stopping another outbreak was "worth it".

The oral hearings for the inquiry will last four weeks, followed by a second block at the end of August for about eight weeks, it was confirmed yesterday.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the inquiry would also look into the handling of a C diff outbreak at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee last year.

Five people died during that incident, with the infection killing two patients and contributing to three other deaths.

Lord MacLean said yesterday: "I will not look at the causes of that outbreak, or the circumstances of deaths at Ninewells, but rather at the way in which the outbreak was handled."

He told the courtroom to forget what they had seen on television about court cases. He said: "There will be no dock, no accused, no jury. No pitting of one side against the other. Our questions will be about finding out what happened, why it happened and, importantly, how to make a difference for the future."

Lord MacLean said the hearings would be open to the public "wherever possible", and he hoped to publish a report by the end of May next year. The inquiry will take place at Maryhill Community Central Hall in Glasgow.

Lord MacLean told the filled courtroom to forget what they had seen on television about court cases. He said: "There will be no dock, no accused, no jury. No pitting of one side against the other. An inquiry is inquisitorial in nature. So, our questions will be about finding out what happened, why it happened and, importantly, how to make a difference for the future."

Lord MacLean said the hearings would be open to the public "wherever possible" and he hoped to publish a report by the end of May next year. The inquiry will take place at Maryhill Community Central Hall in Glasgow.