TWO women died after eating hospital chicken mayo sandwiches suspected of containing listeria, an inquest heard.
Retired nurse Beverley Sowah, 57, and mum-of-five Enid Heap, 84, were given the food on successive days while patients at Manchester Royal Infirmary in 2019.
PAEnid Heap, 84, died died after eating a chicken mayo sandwich given to her in hospital[/caption]
PABeverley Sowah, 57, also died after consuming a sandwich at the same hospital[/caption]
Both women, who had underlying health conditions, died days later, amid a nationwide alert over a listeria outbreak.
The source of the bacteria was linked to an external food supplier not the kitchens at the hospital, Manchester Coroner’s Court heard.
A joint inquest for both women, with a jury of five men and two women, began on Monday, with loved ones of both Mrs Sowah and Mrs Heap attending.
It is scheduled to last up to five days.
Also represented are lawyers for North Country Quality Food, based in Salford, which supplied the chicken to the Good Food Chain, which made the sandwiches from its “Whole Lotta Good” range.
This was supplied to hospitals via a contract with Sodexo.
Both the meat supplier and sandwich maker firms have since gone into liquidation.
The Good Food Chain, based in Stone, Staffordshire, made up to 40,000 sandwiches a day, supplying around 70 hospitals.
Listeria can cause an illness called listeriosis – a rare infection from consuming contaminated foods.
Symptoms include a fever, aches, pains, vomiting and diarrhoea – but it can be more serious.
In severe cases, it can result in meningitis – inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord – and be fatal for people with weakened immune systems.
In opening remarks at the start of the hearing, Zak Golombeck, Manchester city coroner, said: “This case concerns the deaths of two individuals, for whom, there is reason to suspect, they died of a notifiable disease, namely listeria.”
Mrs Sowah was admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary on April 15, 2019, when she was suffering from advanced breast cancer.
Two days later she was given the chicken mayo sandwich and died on April 26.
There was no evidence of “sub-optimal” care for Ms Sowah apart from the “hospital-acquired” listeria infection.
Mrs Heap, a retired chemist shop assistant, was admitted to the hospital on March 25, 2019 and was served the same type of sandwich on April 18. She died on May 6.
Mr Golombeck said the “primary hypothesis” was the source of the listeria infection was the chicken sandwiches consumed by both women.
The hearing was told the Manchester listeria outbreak had the same genetic link as another outbreak in Liverpool.
Dr Kirsty Dodgson, consultant microbiologist at the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said a number of outbreak meetings were held to identify the source of the listeria and the Health and Safety Executive and Public Health England became involved.
She said it became a nationwide investigation due to other listeria cases in other locations across the country.
The inquest continues.
PAMrs Sowah was admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary on April 15, 2019, when she was suffering from advanced breast cancer[/caption]
GettyThe source of the listeria was linked to an external food supplier, not the kitchens at the hospital[/caption]
What is listeria?
LISTERIA is a type of bacteria that can contaminate many foods.
It can cause listeriosis – a rare infection from consuming affected foods.
This usually goes away on its own, but it can make some people seriously ill.
Symptoms include a high temperature, aches, pains, chills, vomiting, feeling sick, and diarrhoea.
If you’re pregnant, you may also have a stomach ache or notice your baby moving less than usual, and babies with listeriosis may be irritable and feed less than usual.
In rare cases, the infection can result in meningitis – inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord.
This kills up to half of all people affected if left untreated, Doctors Without Borders says.
Listeriosis is more serious for older people, anyone who is pregnant, newborn babies, people with weakened immune systems (such as those with cancer, diabetes, liver disease or kidney disease), and people having treatment which weakens their immune system (like chemotherapy or steroids).
You can reduce your risk by:
Keeping chilled, ready-to-eat foods cold (set your fridge to below 5C)
Eating ready-to-eat foods within four hours of taking them out of the fridge
Eating, cooking or freezing foods by their use-by date
Following storage instructions on food labels and use opened food within two days (unless otherwise specified)
Keeping raw and ready-to-eat foods separate
Following cooking instructions on packaging
Cooking and reheating foods until they are steaming hot all the way through
Washing your hands regularly with soap and water
The foods most likely to cause listeriosis include:
Cold, cooked, sliced meats and cured meats
Smoked and cured fish, including sushi
Cooked shellfish
Soft mould-ripened cheese (such as camembert and brie) and blue-veined cheeses
Pâté
Pre-prepared sandwiches and salads
Pre-cut fruit
Unpasteurised milk
Dairy products made from unpasteurised milk
While uncommon, listeriosis alone illness kills one in five patients globally, according to the World Health Organization.
Source: NHS