Landmark MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) damages case piles the pressure on UK NHS:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
A UK patient has won the first ever case for compensation from the National Health Service for contracting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), putting renewed pressure on the NHS to ensure it implements the applicable control measures. The case at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, South Wales, occurred in February 2001 following a hip replacement operation. The infection resulted in the removal of the implanted hip; later bone deterioration precluded a further replacement, leaving the patient permanently disabled. The hospital reached a settlement for undisclosed "substantial damages", admitting some failings in relation to the prevention and treatment of the infection; previous compensation cases had hinged on admissions of inadequate treatment.