April 3rd, 2009
A family is seeking the advice of clinical negligence solicitors after a grandfather became the 14th person to die from a superbug at a British hospital.
John Saunders, 66, was admitted to Eastbourne District General Hospital to have a blood clot removed, the Mirror reports.
His official cause of death was pneumonia, but the superbug Clostrodium difficile (C difficile) was listed as a significant contributing factor.
Jane Stanfield, Mr Saunders’ daughter, said the family is shocked and angry, particularly after hospital chief executive Kim Hodgson declared wards safe.
"I went in to see him just hours before he died and he was struggling to breathe and really uncomfortable. A lot more could have been done for him," she commented.
A spokesperson for the hospital said it would investigate if the family wishes to contact its staff.
It was reported last month that 62 cases of the bacteria have been noted at Eastbourne District General Hospital since January and a total of 14 people have now died there as a result.
Tags: Bacteria, Blood Clot, Cause Of Death, Chief Executive, Clinical Negligence Solicitors, Compensation Claim, Contact, District General Hospital, Eastbourne District General Hospital, Hodgson, John Saunders, Mirror, Mr Saunders, Pneumonia, Spokesperson, Stanfield, Superbug, Wards
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February 9th, 2009
A former Premier League footballer is seeking the advice of a solicitor in order to launch a possible compensation claim against an NHS trust.
Jamie Lawrence, 38, suffered a cut to his knee while playing for his current club Harrow Borough in December.
He went to Epsom General Hospital to have it treated and had six stitches to the wound.
However, the cut continued to hurt and began weeping. Upon his return to hospital, Mr Lawrence was told he had contracted the superbug MRSA.
His leg is now in plaster and he has trouble moving around.
"It has been a joke. I am going to see my legal people. I will be taking it further," Mr Lawrence commented.
A spokesperson for Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust said he was sorry to hear Mr Lawrence was unhappy with his treatment and encouraged him to get in touch.
Actress Leslie Ash received a record £5 million in compensation in 2008 after suing a London hospital when she contracted MRSA five years ago.
Tags: 5 Million, Actress, Compensation Claim, Current Club, Epsom And St Helier Nhs Trust, General Hospital, Harrow Borough, Jamie Lawrence, Joke, Leslie Ash, London Hospital, Mrsa, Plaster, Premier League, Solicitor, Spokesperson, St Helier Nhs Trust, Stitches, Superbug
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July 4th, 2008
A man has received a compensation payout of £12,500 from a hospital in King’s Lynn following the death of his wife.
Jean Alden died after becoming infected with the superbug Clostridium difficile, reports the Fenland Citizen.
Her husband Max, 70, told the newspaper: "I’m angry and want to publicise what goes on so other families don’t have to go through the same thing. Lots of people have no one to fight their corner and that must feel terrible and very frightening as well."
The couple would have been celebrating their golden wedding anniversary this year.
Clinical negligence and personal injury specialist Richard Barr said that while the hospital had not admitted liability, they had apologised to Mr Alden for what he and his family had been through.
According to the Press Association, a record number of pensioners have been diagnosed with the superbug this year. Between January and March this year, 1,861 cases were recorded – an increase of 16 per cent on the previous quarter.
Tags: Alden, Clinical Negligence, Clostridium Difficile, Death Of His Wife, Fenland Citizen, Golden Wedding Anniversary, Husband Max, Pensioners, Personal Injury Specialist, Richard Barr, Superbug, Wife Jean, Year 1
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June 24th, 2008
The superbug MRSA is thriving in busy hospital wards, a new report has claimed.
According to a study by Dr Archie Clements from the University of Queensland in Australia, a combination of excessive bed occupancy and a shortage of nursing staff has led to increased hospital stays and bed blocking which fuels infection rates.
Dr Clements commented: "Hand washing is vital for reduction of MRSA transmission yet many studies show compliance in nurses is low and in doctors even lower."
MRSA Action UK chairman Derek Butler said bed occupancy rates must fall to 65 per cent – equal to that of the Netherlands and Norway.
Around one in three of us carries the Staphylococcus aureus component of MRSA, according to NHS Direct. If this enters the body through a break in the skin it can lead to boils, abscesses or impetigo.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal that 1,652 died as a result of MRSA in 2006.
Tags: Archie, Bed Occupancy, Boils Abscesses, Compliance, Derek Butler, Doctors, Dr Clements, Hand Washing, Hospital Wards, Mrsa, Norway, Nurses, Occupancy Rates, Office Of National Statistics, Queensland Australia, Staphylococcus Aureus, Superbug, Uk Chairman, University Of Queensland, University Queensland
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