NHS Lanarkshire has confirmed that University Hospital Hairmyres is the Scottish site previously supplied with potentially infected sandwiches and salads produced by the Good Food Chain company, currently linked to an outbreak of Listeriosis south of the border.

UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, made a statement in the Westminster Parliament this afternoon (Monday 17 June) confirming the 43 Trusts potentially affected by the outbreak in England. To date, nine cases of Listeriosis linked to the outbreak have been identified in seven English hospitals. Sadly, five of the nine cases have died.

No cases have been identified in Lanarkshire or Scotland to date.

Dr John Logan, NHS Lanarkshire consultant in public health medicine said: “NHS Lanarkshire has been working closely with Health Protection Scotland and Food Standards Scotland as part of the UK-wide response to the listeriosis outbreak associated with some sandwiches and salads provided by the Good Food Chain company to NHS trusts in England and to one hospital in Scotland – University Hospital Hairmyres in Lanarkshire.

“As soon as we were alerted to the situation in England, we immediately took steps to prevent people from consuming potentially affected sandwiches, withdrawing products supplied by the Good Food Chain company. We also informed hospital clinicians and GPs of the situation, highlighting appropriate investigations to undertake if anyone were to develop possible symptoms or signs of listeriosis infection.

“No cases of listeriosis linked to this outbreak have been identified in Scotland and the chance of listeriosis occurring in Lanarkshire residents is low.

“Those who may have been exposed to a risk of infection and who may develop symptoms are University Hospital Hairmyres inpatients, or people who visited the hospital canteen, who ate sandwiches or salads produced by the Good Food Chain company during April, May or the first five days of June.

“Listeria infection in healthy people is usually either unnoticed or may cause very mild symptoms of gastroenteritis – sickness and diarrhoea – that usually last a short time without the need for treatment.

“However, it can have more serious consequences for young infants, older people, people with pre-existing health conditions, including people who have a suppressed immune system, and pregnant women. People in these groups who think they may have consumed products from the Good Food Chain company should seek medical attention if they experience symptoms of infection.”

Further information about Listeria is available from the Health Protection Scotland website – www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/listeria/

Information about the outbreak can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/listeria-cases-being-investigated
https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/news-and-alerts/update-on-listeria-cases-being-investigated

For advice on avoiding listeriosis during pregnancy, please visit the NHS website.