A gastroscope was used to examine patients

A Northern Ireland hospital has appealed to people who were examined with dirty equipment but have not yet contacted them, to get in touch.

Letters were sent out last week to 449 patients treated at Lagan Valley hospital, Lisburn, County Antrim, using a gastroscope which had not been properly sterilised.

Those patients were to be offered a meeting to discuss if they wished to have blood tests to establish if they had a blood borne infection like HIV or hepatitis.

A special telephone help line has also been set up.

On Monday, the hospital said most of the people had already been in touch, but urged the remaining 49 to contact them.

'Small risk'

It is understood that 362 calls have been received by the hospital's helpline, however, other people have gone to their GP, or been visited by health service personnel. In all, 400 people have made contact since the story broke last Wednesday.

The problem arose on 20 April in relation to one of the hospital's five gastroscopes, after a member of staff noticed part of it was dirty.

The gastroscope, which came into use in April 2001, went through a disinfection process after each use, but one small part may not have been completely disinfected, according to management.

John Compton, chief executive of the Down Lisburn Health Trust, which runs Lagan Valley hospital, said the risk to patients was small.

The trust as well as the Eastern Health and Social Service Board's public health team and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety are investigating the matter.