MRSA Legal Actions Rise 10 Times

Link: HD - Hospital Development.

New released figures show a rise in the number of MRSA-related compensation claims, raising questions as to whether the threat of litigation can be used as a policy instrument to pressure the NHS on infection control. The NHS Litigation Authority has revised the number of cases involving healthcare-associated infections covering the period of April 2002 to March 2006 from seven to 68. It has also revealed that £5m was paid out in damages and £3m in costs during this time. News of the payouts was welcomed by injury lawyers who are now using health and safety laws to hold the NHS accountable on MRSA. This is made possible because Control of Substances Harmful to Health (COSHH) regulations, that require employers to control exposure to hazardous substances to prevent ill health, also cover biological agents such as bacteria and other micro-organisms. Precedent was set in July 2005 when Kitty Cope, a pensioner from Bridgend in Wales, won compensation when she contracted MRSA following a hip replacement.