Solicitor threatens to fight for hospital closure over MRSA

A SOLICITOR says he will try to close a hospital if he does not get a satisfactory response from the health service over his claim that he contracted MRSA while a patient.

Limerick-based solicitor John Devane was speaking before meeting a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) official to make an oral complaint at what he said were dirty conditions at the city’s St John’s Hospital.

Mr Devane said that since he contracted the MRSA bug his health had been poor. He said sick leave had cost him €500,000 in lost business.

He said: “I feel as if I were a drug addict with the amount of prescribed drugs I am taking.”

His family life, he said, had also suffered.

He said if he did not get a satisfactory response, his only option was to try to close the hospital.

He said the possibility of his running in next year’s general election was “very much on the cards” and if he did run, he would fight the election on health and policing issues.

A spokesperson for the HSE last night said: “Every member of the public is entitled to make a complaint and all complaints are dealt with under the standard procedures.”