Maidstone Hospital, one of the hospitals scrutinised for C-Diff

by Nick Lillitos

nlillitos@thekmgroup.co.uk

Hospitals will be let off a £5 million fine for failing to meet a target on superbugs.

Bosses at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust had been braced to pay the penalty for exceeding their target on C-diff between April 2012 and the end of March this year.

The trust is 10 cases over its target of 49 cases in a year.

But the KM can reveal that the fine will not be collected. It will give a filip to patients - and taxpayers - to know the money will stay within the health service.

A trust spokesman said: “There will now be no adverse affect on the trust’s financial position.”

The spokesman also pointed out that its 59 cases are still 8% less than the previous year and still represents a decrease over six years.

Each case over the limit attracted a £500,000 penalty, and since 2007, when hygiene failures at the trust were revealed, there has been a strict focus on meeting infection control targets.

But the 49-case limit was set by the South East Coast strategic health authority - an organisation now disbanded with the NHS reforms taking effect this month.

It’s been succeeded by a GP-led organisation called the NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group, headed by chairman Dr Bob Bowes.

He said: “I will see how we can minimise the impact on the hospital trust, without over-riding the need to hold the trust accountable.”

But the KM understands the money will fund hospital services.

Dr Bowes added: “We take C-diff very seriously and while recognising that MTW has made good progress, we want to see further reductions in the numbers of patients affected by the bug.”

Dr Sara Mumford, director of infection prevention control, at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS trust promised there would be no let up in achieving further reductions.