Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully claimed compensation in relation to a MRSA or clostridium difficile infection contracted in an NHS hospital by (i) themselves and (ii) a family member in each of the last five years. (193817)

The information requested is shown in the table. The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) provided the information. The year given is the year in which the NHSLA was notified of the claim.

*All closed claims where the injury is meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Clostridium difficile as at 31 December 2007*
NHSLA notification year	Status	Claimant is patient	Claimant is family member	Total
2002-03	Closed—nil damages	9	6	15
	Settled—damages paid	18	6	24
	Total	27	12	39

2003-04	Closed—nil damages	23	11	34
	Settled—damages paid	21	7	28
	Total	44	18	62

2004-05	Closed—nil damages	38	9	47
	Settled—damages paid	12	3	15
	Total	50	12	62

2005-06	Closed—nil damages	41	9	50
	Settled—damages paid	9	3	12
	Total	50	12	62

2006-07	Closed—nil damages	16	10	26
	Settled—damages paid	7	5	12
	Total	23	15	38

Total	Closed—nil damages	127	45	172
	Settled—damages paid	67	24	91
	Total	194	69	263

Volume 474: debated on Wednesday 26 March 2008