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Hugh James > News Centre > News Library > 2009 > August > E-coli: learning from the past

E-coli: learning from the past

04I08I09

 

E-Coli - learning from past mistakes - have the recommendations of the Pennington Report been implemented?

 

Stephen Webber

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It is disheartening to learn news of a new E-Coli outbreak in Wales.  Aside from the tragic human suffering (A woman is on a life support machine and a three-year-old girl is seriously ill) that this brings it is frustrating to see that as a nation don’t seem to learn from our mistakes.

 

Not 6 months ago the Pennington Report was produced offering clear recommendations on food hygiene and the change needed in meat preparation as a consequence of the terrible outbreak  of E-Coli that occurred in September 2005 where five year old Mason Jones died. The impact of this outbreak is still being felt by many families.

 

No one wants to relive the tragedy but it should not be forgotten that the Pennington report brought to light serious deficiencies in the hygiene standards, and made recommendations as to the correct procedures that should be followed to prevent such an outbreak occurring again.

 

At the time of the report the families of those affected by the outbreak stated:

 

“We welcome the findings of the report of the Public Inquiry in to the E-Coli outbreak which took place in September 2005. During the past three and a half years, we and our children have had to come to terms with the lifelong impact of this terrible event.

 

During Professor Pennington’s Inquiry, we found out in great detail how this terrible outbreak occurred.  We were shocked and appalled at everything that came out as we had not realised the full extent of the problems and how long they had been going on for.

 

We believe that Professor Pennington’s report has identified the extent of the problems that allowed the outbreak of September 2005 to occur and has addressed many of our concerns

 

Sharon Mills, mother of five year old Mason Jones who died in the  E-Coli outbreak, added “I was pleased that Professor Pennington recommended that there is a total separation between the processing of cooked and raw meats. I think this is the only way to ensure that public safety is protected.  I wish that his recommendations had been implemented to prevent this awful disease occurring again. My son would be alive today if proper systems were put in place in 2005 to avoid cross-contamination in food processing. My thoughts are with the families and victims of this latest outbreak. I hope that they all recover.”.

 

Stephen Webber, the Hugh James lawyer who has represented the families since the tragedy happened welcomed the report’s findings. “We have always had every confidence in Professor Pennington and recognise how thorough and comprehensive his investigation has been, but  it is clear that his recommendations have not been implemented in such a way as to prevent this tragedy from ever happening again.

 

Unfortunately, the Pennington report has no legal power to ensure compliance with the recommendations and therefore it is of vital importance that the public authorities not only heed the recommendations but implement them as a matter of urgency. We appeal to all the public authorities involved in food production to take immediate action on the report’s key recommendations.”

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For further information contact:

Stephen Webber, Partner

E stephen.webber@hughjames.com

T 029 2039 1132

 

Clara Barber, Director of Marketing & Business Development

E clara.barber@hughjames.com

T 029 2039 1000