With MRSA cases on the increase, clinical negligence expert Kashmir Uppal of Thompsons Solicitors in Birmingham explains that claiming compensation is a challenge, but possible.

News that more than 50,000 patients contracted one of the most serious hospital superbugs last year, a rise of more than 17 per cent on 2004, is alarming, especially when most of these people thought the care was there to help them.

Cases of Clostridium difficile infection (another serious infection similar to MRSA) in patients aged 65 years and above increased by 17.2% in England over the last year, from 44,107 in 2004 to 51,690 in 2005, according to figures released by the Health Protection Agency. The Agency reports that this increase is because of improved reporting and an increased number of cases. Rates of infection of MRSA were high in a wide range of hospitals throughout the NHS in England.

MRSA infection is an increasingly frequent occurrence among hospital patients, many of whom suffer significant long term consequences if the infection is not fatal. Although many people are aware of MRSA – including hospital managers and staff – the number of infections is getting worse.