Call for action after bed sores implicated in 27 deaths over two years

Care: Government working with hospital staff to prevent bed sores.

The Government has been urged to take action after figures revealed bed sores were the underlying cause of 27 deaths over the past two years.

Thirteen people died from the condition in 2010, while a further 14 lost their lives in 2011.

Bed sores and pressure ulcers were also mentioned on the death certificates of 210 people over the same two-year period.

The condition is caused when patients are not turned regularly, or are left in poor hygiene. They can be life threatening if they become infected and are not treated quickly.

The figures, released following a parliamentary question from the Liberal Democrats, have prompted calls for bed sores to be treated as seriously as other hospital-acquired infections.

The party's health spokeswoman Alison McInnes said: "The public will be shocked that people are still dying from bed sores in the 21st century.

"They cause huge amounts of pain and discomfort but are easily preventable.

"Bed sores can arise because a patient has been left alone by staff for hours at a time. It is inexcusable and cannot be allowed to continue.

"The Scottish Government must tackle this and treat bedsores as seriously as hospital infections."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The Scottish Government is working with nurse directors across Scotland to ensure there are no avoidable hospital-acquired pressure ulcers by December 2015.

"In addition, we have developed a package of measures to minimise the risk of pressure ulcers, a Clinical Quality Indicator (CQI) for Pressure Area Care, a Practice Development toolkit and other educational resources, which are being used by NHS Boards, resulting in standards of care being driven up across the country."

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