C. diff warning cards handed out in North West

Patients diagnosed with the healthcare acquired infection, C. difficile, are to be given a warning card to carry as part of control measures being introduced in the North West. The card will alert medical staff during any future treatment, preventing those at risk from contracting the bug again or spreading it further. It will also ensure health professionals are aware that the individual may react badly to some antibiotics, which leaves them vulnerable to contracting the infection. The cards will be given to all patients in the region who have been diagnosed in the past. Nigel Calvert, associate director of public health for NHS Cumbria, said: "These cards are designed to raise awareness and reduce the outbreaks of C. difficile which can make people very ill. Often we tell patients who have been infected with the bacteria, or who have been involved in a previous outbreak, to inform their doctor, dentist or pharmacist when they see them, but sometimes they can forget. This can mean the patient might be prescribed with an antibiotic which can again trigger symptoms and make them very ill."