Wexham Park Hospital hit by outbreak of drug-resistant superbug

This article has been updated.

Wexham Park Hospital in Slough has introduced 'control measures' to combat an outbreak of a drug-resistant superbug.

The NHS trust which runs the hospital says no patients have died and changes have been made to ‘minimise the risk of further transmission’.

It believes the outbreak – of carbapenemase-producing enterobacterales (CPE) – is linked to issues with the hospital drains which act as ‘superhighways’ for infection.

A Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “In 2023 a formal review and investigation were carried out by the trust to assess the nature and cause of the outbreak and formalise our actions.

“This included a mortality review, which was completed in January and its conclusion was that no patient deaths were directly associated with CPE.

“Patient safety is of the utmost importance and is being closely monitored to minimise the risk of further transmission within the trust.”

A report to the trust’s board of directors for a meeting this month said an outbreak of CPE was declared at Wexham Park in mid-June 2023.

CPE are bacteria immune to almost all powerful antibiotics considered the ‘last line of defence’ against infections.

In the most serious of cases, it can lead to fatal pneumonia, wound infection, and blood infection.

A total of 75 patients were diagnosed with CPE infection at Wexham Park over the year 2023 to 2024.

High numbers of cases were detected in areas where people particularly vulnerable to infection are cared for.

These included the hospital’s Eden Ward, which treats blood disorder and cancer patients.

One in five patients were found to be infected with CPE during the first four weeks of testing in Eden Ward, the intensive care unit (ITU), and four other wards.

The board report said ‘identification of the outbreak coincided with issues detected in the water and drainage systems’ beneath the radiology department.

And that a review commissioned by the trust concluded the outbreak ‘was linked’ to its drains.

Key findings from the review focused on evidence showing healthcare drainage systems act as ‘superhighways’.

Recommendations were made to prevent CPE transmission such as changes to soap dispenser locations, introducing splashguards on sinks, and re-designing showers to reduce the risk of patients’ feet touching drains.

The Wexham Park outbreak cannot be declared over until 28 days since the last identified case.

Its most recent was recorded on July 5.

A smaller CPE outbreak at the trust’s Frimley Park Hospital last year has been declared over.

The spokesperson said: “Evidence shows that hospital wastewater systems play a significant role in the spread of bacteria like CPE.

“We have put appropriate infection prevention and control measures in place, enhanced our screening processes and improved our facilities to reduce transmission risks, particularly focusing on water and wastewater systems.”

They said: “CPE is a known cause of hospital-acquired infections globally, and across the NHS many hospitals are encountering similar increases in prevalence of this group of bacteria.”

Update July 12 9.20am

A Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said:

“We have seen a significant reduction in CPE cases since we identified the outbreak in June 2023 and in line with standard outbreak management and the need for no linked cases within a 28 period, the outbreak currently remains formally open with the last linked colonisation case being identified on 5 July through our enhanced screen process.

"This means that the patient is not infected or unwell but is carrying the same bacteria that was identified in the trust last year.

"We are continuing to implement appropriate infection prevention and control measures to manage potential transmission risks effectively and ensure patient safety.”