Let’s be clear, this inquiry would not be taking place but for BBC Reporting Scotland’s leading (others followed) coverage of the deaths of five patients at two Glasgow hospitals. None of the five patients died because of hospital acquired infections. There is no scientific basis for this inquiry. There are at least three good reasons why this inquiry is not necessary.
First, five cases are not a statistically significant indicator of a real problem. Each year, in England & Wales, around 2 300 people die in hospital after MRSA and C difficile infections. In the USA, around 97 000 die in hospital from infections from organisms including bacteria and fungi.
Source: EXCLUSIVE: You are many times LESS likely to die from a hospital ‘bug’ in Scotland
Second, hospital acquired infection rates in Scotland are falling consistently and dramatically, despite soaring demand, suggesting that current procedures are every much on track:
file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/CBP-7533.pdf
Third, the Scottish Government already has plans in place:
Is it not a waste of public funds to start a new inquiry just to satisfy a media frenzy when there are existing ones currently being implemented and evaluated?
Given that so much of our understanding of reality is based on media representation, BBC Reporting Scotland is creating reality, a frightening one, and not, as they might wish to believe, merely reporting on some shared common reality out there. Given the insignificance of these infections as indicators of the shared experience of their viewers, they have chosen to report in a way which distorts it.
Some earlier thoughts on why and what effect this kind of ‘reporting’ might have.
Hospital scare stories tell you the Scottish media elite is politically adrift, anxious and nothing to fear
Talking-up Scotland 
Radio Scotland reported boldly this morning that there were infections sweeping Scottish hospitals, particularly the QU,,, ?whatever, the new southern general. For some reason I saw ‘Scottish Labour’ Twitter feed the other day, and they were repeatedly touting the idea that infections are sweeping through hospitals. This misinformation needs to stop, it is harming everyone, the Scottish government needs to put its foot down and start injecting some reality into what we hear – how they do that when the BBC have got their teeth into this nonsense I don’t know.
‘Microbial’ and ‘microbe’ are good words and saves you having to know the difference between bacteria, fungi, protozoans, etc.
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Why is no one pulling them for this, is just blatant lying, They make up and story with no foundation and no facts to back it up, run with it then other London based MSM outlets run with it and its all lies. Am I living in an alternate universe, why is no one holding them to account for this it just beggars belief.
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No one is pulling them up because no one in Scotland has that power and those who have some kind of power to seek balance and moderation have been chosen simply because they are the kind of people who will make the ‘right’ decisions in the interest of the BRITISH establishment.
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Again John many thanks for the time you spend in the cesspit that is the Scottish media it is appreciated .
This whole daily drip drip drip of catastrophe is getting really boring its like a never ending version of Waka Mole just when you have knocked one on the head another one pops up its relentless , and must affect the people who peddle this mostly tripe on a daily basis .
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There should be the equivalent of ‘wasting police time’ to deal with BBC ‘news stories’.
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On the big piece Reporting Scotland did tonight on this matter, there were shots of the outside of the QEUH, which panned up to the roof to show ……. PIGEON”S LANDING!
I have never seen pigeon’s landing on the roof of any bulding ….. but I know that pigs can fly. Just imagine the kind of droppings they can produce.
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