Report on Review of Clostridium difficile Associated Disease Cases and Mortality in all Acute Hospitals in Scotland from December 2007 - May 2008

In June 2008, the Scottish Government Health and Wellbeing Directorate (SGHD) requested a retrospective review of cases of Clostridium difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) and associated mortality in all acute hospitals in Scotland following a report of an outbreak of CDAD, with an apparently high number of deaths at the Vale of Leven Hospital (VOL). The outbreak at the VOL is the subject of an independent review and a local epidemiological investigation.Each NHS board was asked to identify for each of their acute hospitals, the number of cases of CDAD and deaths associated with them in the period 1st December 2007 to 31st May 2008, during which time the outbreak at the VOL was occurring. HPS was asked by SGHD to collate the data collected by NHS boards on cases of CDAD and associated mortality and comment on the following:whether there were any hospitals that had unexpected numbers of cases or deaths in the period studied;if these events had been known about previously; andwhat action, if any, had been taken at the time.This report describes the outcome of this review.