Hairmyres patients given food from company behind listeria outbreak

Patients at Hairmyres Hospital were given sandwiches and salads supplied by a firm at the centre of a fatal listeria outbreak in England, NHS Lanarkshire has confirmed.

Nine cases have been reported across the UK, and five people have died, but the health board says no cases have been reported in Scotland.

The food was supplied to 43 NHS Trusts across the UK.

Dr John Logan, NHS Lanarkshire Consultant in Public Health Medicine said: “NHS Lanarkshire has been working closely with Health Protection Scotland and Food Standards Scotland as part of the UK-wide response to the Listeriosis outbreak associated with some sandwiches and salads provided by the Good Food Chain company to NHS Trusts in England and to one hospital in Scotland – University Hospital Hairmyres in Lanarkshire.

“As soon as we were alerted to the situation in England, we immediately took steps to prevent people from consuming potentially affected sandwiches, withdrawing products supplied by the Good Food Chain company.

"We also informed hospital clinicians and GPs of the situation, highlighting appropriate investigations to undertake if anyone were to develop possible symptoms or signs of Listeriosis infection.

“No cases of Listeriosis linked to this outbreak have been identified in Scotland and the chance of Listeriosis occurring in Lanarkshire residents is low.

“Those who may have been exposed to a risk of infection and who may develop symptoms are University Hospital Hairmyres inpatients, or people who visited the hospital canteen, who ate sandwiches or salads produced by the Good Food Chain company during April, May or the first five days of June.

“Listeria infection in healthy people is usually either unnoticed or may cause very mild symptoms of gastroenteritis – sickness and diarrhoea - that usually last a short time without the need for treatment.

“However, it can have more serious consequences for young infants, older people, people with pre-existing health conditions, including people who have a suppressed immune system, and pregnant women.

"People in these groups who think they may have consumed products from the Good Food Chain Company should seek medical attention if they experience symptoms of infection."