From: Ian blenkharn@ianblenkharn.com
Category: News & information
Date: 29 Jul 2008
Time: 14:17:10 +0200
Remote Name: 86.133.234.230
"An engineer has received £2,000 in compensation from an Essex hospital where he was hit by dirty needles which flew out of a drain he was unblocking.
"Michael Michael, 57, was working at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, in September when the incident occurred.
"One of the syringes stuck in Mr Michael's hand, prompting a six-week wait to see if he had been infected.
"Mr Michael's solicitor, Richard Biggs, said Mr Michael's marriage had broken down as his wife feared he had HIV. [more]
Depressing news, and really no happy outcome.
It is almost invariably overlooked that sharps injury can have a devastating impact on the victim, and on their partner or family group, even in circumstances where seroconversion does not occur. It is therefore entirely wrong to consider sharps injury without seroconversion as a fortuitous near miss.