A public inquiry into an outbreak of Clostridium difficile will also probe a second hospital where the infection killed a number of patients, it was announced on Wednesday.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon revealed last year that there would be an inquiry into the C. diff outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire, where the bug killed nine people and contributed to the deaths of nine others.
Now it has been announced that the inquiry - to be chaired by Lord MacLean - will also consider the handling of the recent C. diff outbreak at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, in which five people died.
The news was welcomed by the C diff Justice Group, which successfully campaigned for the public inquiry to be held following the Vale of Leven outbreak
Michelle Stewart, whose mother-in-law Sarah McGinty was one of those who died, said: "We welcome the extension of the inquiry's remit to include the Ninewells outbreak, because these cases are a grim reminder that we still have a major problem with C diff.
"We have maintained all along that all Nicola Sturgeon's knee-jerk responses would never get to the bottom of what went so terribly wrong at the Vale of Leven. That's why we fought so hard for this inquiry. But it must be given the time it needs to get to the truth and not be hampered by timelines."
The inquiry had originally been due to report by the end of October this year - but that deadline has now been extended to the end of May 2011.
As part of its work, the inquiry it will look at any changes in practice or policy on healthcare acquired infections since the outbreak at the Vale of Leven - where 55 patients contracted C diff between December 2007 and June 2008.
It will also consider the impact of the rearrangement of health boards in 2006 as well as subsequent restructuring within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Oral hearings for the inquiry will take place in the Community Central Hall in Maryhill, Glasgow, with these expected to start in June.
Julie-Anne Jamieson, secretary to the inquiry, said: "After carefully considering all the facts to hand, as gathered thus far, Lord MacLean and the inquiry team have concluded that this new timescale should allow us to gather all the necessary evidence, involve all relevant witnesses and ensure that the result is an in-depth examination of our terms of reference."
A Scottish Government spokesman said the Health Secretary had granted the inquiry an extension to allow Lord MacLean to "conduct a rigorous and thorough investigation into what went wrong at the Vale of Leven".
He said: "Lord Maclean has a wide remit to look at any other outbreaks of C. difficile in Scotland or beyond considered relevant and this will include the recent cluster of cases at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. Clearly, by widening its scope, the inquiry will need more time to gather evidence and hear from witnesses."
