Scotland’s leading microbiologist is warning patients to think long and hard about going into hospital for minor procedures as new figures show a staggering rise in superbug deaths.
Professor Sir Hugh Pennington says the death toll from Clostridium dfficile is significant and very disappointing.
Professor Sir Hugh said: "Talk to the doctors, talk to the GPs, talk to the consultants and so on and get an assurance from them that the part of the hospital they're going to is up to speed on controlled infection.
"Get the assurance that you really do need surgery and that the balance of taking that risk of going into hospital is in your advantage rather that the risk of catching something there."
Professor Pennington’s comments come after the emergence of new figures on the hospital superbug.
At Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, the bug was found to be the underlying cause or contributory factor in 36 deaths in 2008 - compared to 16 the year before.
In Tayside meanwhile, the figure has jumped from 38 to 76 cases.
This year, the death rate has continued to rise. In May, two people suffering from the superbug died at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin.
The Health Secretary says everything possible is being done to tackle C. diff, which remains a top priority for the NHS.
