Ash's payout unlikely to mean flood of claims

Ms Ash won£5m plus legal expenses last week after she sued the NHS over her treatment at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in 2004 during which she contracted MSSA.

NHS Litigation Authority chief executive Stephen Walker said while the case may prompt more people to look for compensation, it was unlikely to result in a flood of successful claims.

He said there was nothing exceptional about Ms Ash's case except her high earnings as a celebrity.

"If she had been a pensioner there would have been no story," he said.

The authority runs the clinical negligence scheme for trusts and was responsible for agreeing the settlement with Ms Ash.

It has settled 287 cases involving healthcare-acquired infections and has fewer than 250 cases outstanding. So far it has paid out£12.5m.

Mr Walker said: "Any responsible lawyer will tell patients it is very difficult to establish negligence or breach of duty on the acquisition of an infection or failure to deal with it.

"They will also advise that unless you are earning the same level as Ms Ash you will not receive the same compensation."

For more coverage, see this week's Media Watch.