Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Fined
A lawyer who specialises in accident at work claims has revealed his alarm at a case which saw a healthcare worker in Worcestershire contract Hepatitis C after injuring herself on a needle.
Irwin Mitchell’s David Urpeth reacted as details emerged in court of how a worker took blood from a patient known to be infected with the virus. Unfortunately, she then had difficulty disposing of the needle and caught her wrist on the item.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, the trainee member of staff was not made aware of the patient’s condition and was also not supervised. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust was fined £12,500 over the incident.
Discussing the case, workplace injury expert David Urpeth said: “This is a terrible case which demonstrates why organisations need to have the right measures in place to ensure all members of staff are protected from risks.
“I hope that this legal action is a wake-up call to NHS trusts and a strong sign that they must ensure those in training positions are given the help and support they need.
“It is vital that incidences like this become a thing of the past.”