A Cambridge hospital has agreed to settle out of court after a bacterial outbreak linked to its water supply left nine patients with severe complications.

Royal Papworth Hospital, a specialist heart and lung centre on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, opened in 2019.

Shortly afterwards, an internal investigation found that 21 patients contracted Mycobacterium abscessus, a rare infection associated with water systems.

Nine patients went on to suffer serious complications, of whom three later died. Two of those who died had undergone double-lung transplants at the hospital. Six further patients continue to face complications.

Lawyers for the patients confirmed that the settlement package amounts to a “six-figure” sum.

The Hospital is rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, the first hospital trust in the UK to receive this top rating in all five assessed areas.

In response to the settlement payments, Jess Brown-Fuller, the Liberal Democrat MP and health spokesperson, penned a letter to key figures in the NHS calling for an immediate investigation into the potential for systemic water quality issues in NHS hospitals.

The letter referenced that the water contamination scandal followed the previous water contamination inquiry at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

In her letter, Brown-Fuller highlighted that water contamination had occurred despite the hospital Chief Executive’s claims that “we acted appropriately and complied with all the relevant regulations”.

She described this as a “worrying flag-up,” warning that “this poses the alarming possibility that NHS hospitals across the country, acting in line with regulations, are vulnerable to water contamination”.

Cambridge City Councillor Cheney Payne echoed these concerns. She said: “Hospitals must be a place of safety, not a source of risk for those in need of care. The Conservatives constantly failed to invest in our NHS whilst in Government.

“Now Labour is in power they must treat this crisis with the seriousness and urgency it deserves. It is unacceptable that so many hospitals continue to disintegrate on their watch.”

She added: “The Liberal Democrats are calling for an urgent investigation into water safety within NHS Trust estates without delay. After years of neglect by successive Governments we need to see action now, which will protect patients and prevent further tragedies.”

A spokesperson for Royal Papworth Hospital said: “We acknowledge agreement of this settlement and our thoughts go out to the patients and families involved. We recognise this has been possible due to the cooperative approach adopted by all parties, for which we are very grateful.

“Providing safe and compassionate patient care is our top priority and as part of our investigation in 2019, we worked tirelessly to investigate, understand, manage and control the outbreak. As acknowledged by Irwin Mitchell, we acted appropriately and complied with all the relevant regulations.

“Lessons have been learnt at a local and national level with regulations revised to seek to avoid a similar occurrence in the UK. Clinicians at Royal Papworth Hospital are now at the forefront of research into the disease and we are happy to share our findings and learning with any other organisation that may benefit,” they continued.