Diners hit by food poisoning

The outbreak happened one lunch time last November in Bede's Restaurant on the second floor of the £97m hospital, which opened in 2001.

The victims of the food poisoning were members of staff and visitors.

Two people were admitted to the hospital for treatment but all are said to have made a full recovery.

No patients were affected as their meals are prepared in a separate kitchen.

An investigation into the outbreak has been going on for some time and a report on its findings is expected to be considered by the County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust at its May meeting.

The restaurant is run by Consort Healthcare, which leases the hospital to the trust under a controversial 30-year Private Finance Initiative scheme.

The company is jointly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Balfour Beatty Group, whose subsidiaries built the hospital.

A trust spokesman said: "Ten people were affected by an outbreak of food poisoning on November 16, 2003.

"This outbreak was associated with meals eaten at the restaurant at the University Hospital of North Durham. Two people were admitted to hospital. All those affected have made a full recovery. No patients were affected.

"The cases were investigated by an outbreak control team made up of local council environmental health officers, alongside experts from the trust, the Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust, and the Health Protection Agency.

"A report on the incident is being finalised. This will be presented to a public meeting of the trust board at the earliest possible opportunity."

The spokesman added that it took time to carry out a thorough investigation.

A spokesman for Consort Healthcare said that the restaurant was given a clean bill of health when an environmental health inspector made a routine visit after the outbreak and took food samples.

Durham City Council, whose environmental health officers have been involved in the investigation, declined to comment.