Patients’ lawyers call for disease inquiry

The patients are seeking answers over what went wrong and have instructed law firm Irwin Mitchell, a spokesman said.

More than 100 people acquired the potentially fatal lung disease during the outbreak in Scotland, which saw three people die. The outbreak, which came to light at the end of May, is thought to have centred on a cluster of cooling towers in the south west of Edinburgh.

Two people died in Stoke-on-Trent following an outbreak thought to be linked to a hot tub.

The law firm, which is representing patients who were affected in both cities, said that recommendations set out to prevent such outbreaks occurring have “failed” and called for a public inquiry to investigate what has gone wrong.

The recommendations were suggested after seven people died and 180 people contracted Legionnaires’ disease following an outbreak at a leisure centre in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

As a result of the outbreak, which occurred 10 years ago, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published a set of recommendations to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.

Clive Garner, illness expert at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Ten years ago the Barrow Legionnaires’ disease outbreak was so severe that two public meetings were held and eventually the HSE published a special report with a view to avoiding this kind of tragedy from happening again.

“To put it simply, these plans to prevent further outbreaks of the illness have failed and since 2005 the number of reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease in England and Wales has been at around 350-400 cases per year. This is an unacceptably high figure bearing in mind how simple it is to eliminate the risk of infection.

“Now in 2012, we are faced with two outbreaks very close together affecting more than 120 people so far and tragically claiming the lives of five innocent people.”

Mr Garner said that a public inquiry could reduce the risk of similar outbreaks, adding: “While it is important that the terms of reference of the public inquiry are specific and refer to preventing future tragedies, the remit of the inquiry needs to remain broad enough so that it can adequately deal with issues that may be uncovered as the evidence unfolds.

“Our clients want to know what has caused their suffering and the loss of their loved ones and they want assurances that all reasonable steps are being taken so that others are spared what they have had to go through.”

Patient Jan Paisley, who was on the brink of death after contracting the disease in Edinburgh, added: “This has devastated my life and that of my family.

“I am looking for answers and guarantees that this will not happen again.”