MRSA is YOUR fault

Compensation is axed as blame is put on patients

By Ian Kirby

THE government is refusing to pay compensation to victims of killer bugs such as MRSA.

They will only fork out if the superbug was contracted as part of a wider hospital blunder—NOT if a patient picks it up on a dirty ward, the News of the World can reveal.

That is because bugs are often carried on the skin, making negligence cases hard to prove.

The move effectively pushes the blame on to the patient for contracting superbugs such as MRSA and C.diff—even though these infections are often associated with filthy conditions.

In the past three years the government hasn't shelled out a penny to compensate people for picking up MRSA. And if a patient dies from it, their family get nothing.

Tony Field, who runs pressure group MRSA Support, lost his case against Birmingham's University Hospital Trust after contracting the deadly bug seven years ago.

Skin

Mr Field, pictured right, said: "The fact that people aren't being compensated for their suffering is outrageous."

C.diff killed 2,008 in 2005 and a further 55,620 were diagnosed with it. MRSA killed 433 patients out of 6,381 confirmed cases. However, hospitals paid compo in just 71 cases in 2004/5—each due to botched surgery or poor diagnosis, not filthy wards.

Lawyers say proving negligence will be tough. Expert Sarah Huntbach said: "Most people carry bugs on their skin so the problem is proving you've contracted the infections in hospital."

In 2003 MRSA-hit pensioner Doris Lambeth won £145,000—but only because docs failed to diagnose her broken ankle at Sandwell Hospital, West Bromwich. A Department of Health spokesman said: "MRSA and C.diff may not be the sole cause of death, which is why families may not have been compensated."

But Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley raged: "Families deserve to know how any negligence claim is dealt with."

ian.kirby@notw.co.uk