NHS safety concerns

A leading personal injury lawyer has joined calls for the NHS to ensure the safety of all people, not only patients, in hospitals and in other NHS buildings. This follows the death of an 88 year-old man who fell during a visit to Springfield University Hospital, London.

The incident took place in December 2005, when Mr William Durrant was leaving the hospital after visiting his daughter. He fell, fracturing his hip and wrist, he died a month later.

South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust were fined £7500 at City of London Magistrates Court on Friday 2 March 2007 for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

David Urpeth, a specialist in accident claims at law firm Irwin Mitchell said "All employers have a duty to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of people, both employees, residents and members of the public on their premises,. The NHS is covered by the same duties of care as any other organisation."

"We would call on the NHS to bring in the very safest and stringent guidelines given the amount of people visiting their premises and the very nature of their work. In that way money spent compensating the injured can be far more effectively aimed at the people being cared for."