Letter: Killer bug questions that do need asking
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: There may indeed be a 'hot new strain' of haemolytic streptococcus, but your front-page story, 'Killer bug may become even more virulent' (25 May), gave no evidence for this, beyond quoting Hugh Pennington, Professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, saying that 'there is a whiff of evidence'. Why not simply admit that we shall have to wait for the facts, which may come from the Government's laboratories.
While you wait, you could usefully throw some light on the whole affair: it is a cause for concern that a number of people are dying of post-operative wound infections. Surely your role is not to increase the public's fear and confusion, but to ask questions that are likely to throw some light on the matter.
For example:
How many people die each year following post-operative wound infection?
Is this figure increasing or decreasing, relative to the number of operations performed?
Are sufficient controls in place to minimise the incidence of post-operative wound infections?
Are there systems in place to identify (usually treatable) wound infections in time to take action?
Are there systems in place to ensure that the appropriate antibiotics are administered as early as possible?
What is the cost to the taxpayer of post-operative infections?
Are health service cost control measures increasing the risk of infection (eg: using inadequately trained staff)?
There are many other legitimate questions you could be asking, most of which have an answer - if you ask the right people.
It is all too easy to blame 'killer bugs', or creatures from outer space, but it is probably more useful to investigate the conditions that allow life-saving or routine procedures to end in death.
Yours sincerely,
ANDREW HEENAN
Editor
Journal of Wound Care
London, WC2
26 May
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments