The Most Common Infections in Hospitals Guide

Additional commentary and legal insight provided by Paralegal, Chloe Esp.

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are infections you can develop during medical treatment that you didn’t have when you first went into hospital. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), around 300,000 people a year in England acquire a healthcare-associated infection as a result of NHS care – so it is important to be aware of the risks, and understand your rights if you are affected.  

In this article, you’ll learn what the most common hospital infections are, together with their symptoms. You’ll also find out what causes them, how you can protect yourself (and others), and how to claim compensation if you contracted one, as a result of negligent care. 

What are the most common infections in hospitals? 

Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) not only pose health risks to patients and staff, but also extend a patient’s recovery time – which leads to a strain on resources for new and existing patients. They also contribute significantly to NHS healthcare costs. 

Unfortunately, hospital acquired infections can also delay patients’ recovery, exacerbate existing or underlying pre-existing conditions, and prolong hospital admission time. In addition, patients who suffer with a HAI often require further treatments and, in some cases, patients may even suffer a fatality due to the additional complications of acquiring an infection in hospital.  

Five of the most common hospital infections are: 

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI): Bacteria like E. coli can get into the urinary catheters that drain your bladder, straight into your urinary tract.

• Surgical site infections (SSIs): These infections can occur when bacteria enters the surgical site through incisions and cuts made during theatre, therefore slowing down your recovery time.

• Respiratory infections (Pneumonia): This is an infection in the lungs which may require assistance with breathing. The treatment-resistant bacteria can also attack a person’s already weakened immune system.

• Bloodstream infections (Sepsis): Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can lead to organ failure that you can contract from bacteria on medical devices, such as catheters.

• MRSA and other resistant infections: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of bacterial infection that is super-resistant to antibiotics and can quickly spread through hospitals and care homes via unclean hands, surfaces, and medical devices. You are particularly vulnerable if you’ve gone in for surgery. It is also a contagious infection, and because only a few antibiotics are effective against it, MRSA is also a very dangerous, and sometimes deadly, infection. 

Causes of hospital-acquired infections 

While a hospital or care home full of vulnerable patients is a factor, so are the healthcare settings themselves. Another cause of hospital-acquired infections is the use of invasive medical devices like catheters and IV lines that, although necessary, give bacteria a way into your body. 

One way to stop the spread of HAIs is with good hygiene. 

Ideally, the people taking care of you should wash their hands before and after they treat every patient, especially if they’re touching wounds or medical devices.  

Every time a nurse, doctor, patient, or visitor touches something unclean or unsterile and doesn’t wash their hands, they take those germs around the hospital with them. 

Keeping a clean hospital environment is key to infection control, too. 

Overcrowded wards, poor cleanliness, and a lack of sanitised surfaces make it much easier for harmful bacteria to survive and spread. The people caring for you should keep your surroundings nice and clean, regularly disinfecting shared areas. 

These steps matter. It could be that you got your HAI through inadequate care or poor infection control. You may have grounds to claim compensation if that’s the case. 

To give your solicitor the best chance, keep a record of your symptoms, the care you received, and any concerns you had during your stay. 

Symptoms and risks of common HAIs 

Below are five examples of hospital-acquired infections, including information about their symptoms and risks. 

1. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) 

UTIs are an infection in your kidneys/bladder/ureters or urethra. The symptoms generally start with a strong urge to urinate that you just can’t seem to satisfy. You may feel pain or a burning sensation when you wee, as well as an increase in frequency or a strong urge to urinate. Your urine may contain blood, look cloudy, or smell bad. 

If you don’t get treatment for a UTI, it can lead to these more serious issues, such as: 

• Infections that keep coming back, especially in women. Women are generally more prone to UTIs, due to the shorter distance in the bladder. 

• Permanent kidney damage 

• Premature birth of your baby if you’re pregnant 

• Sepsis in severe cases 

Unfortunately, serious UTI incidents have been reported, most notably by Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, involving West Midlands patients who developed infections following flexible cystoscopies.

2. Surgical site infections (SSIs) 

The first thing you see with an SSI might be redness and swelling around the wound – you might also feel pain. In some cases, you’ll notice pus or drainage and your wound may open up. It’s also common to feel unwell or feverish. 

An untreated SSIs may have these effects: 

• Slower healing and longer recovery 

• A systemic infection that affects your tissues or organs 

• Around 1 in 10 cases results in sepsis 

3. Respiratory infections (Pneumonia) 

The most common infections in hospitals are respiratory infections like pneumonia. 

Hospital-acquired pneumonia often starts with a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, muscle aches or chills. In yourself, you might also feel generally weak and unwell. 

Pneumonia can turn serious very quickly, leading to: 

• Breathing problems which require you to go on oxygen or a ventilator 

• Sepsis and septic shock 

• Death from complications like lung abscesses and respiratory failure 

4. MRSA and antibiotic-resistant infections 

MRSA often presents initially as painful red bumps on your skin, sometimes with pus or drainage. It is a bacteria that can sit outside your skin and be harmless, however if gets into the skin (i.e through an open wound, cut, surgery) it can led to infection. It is therefore more common in surgical patients, and can be very hard to treat because the infection is resistant to many different antibiotics.  

If left untreated, MRSA can lead to: 

• Longer treatment times and stronger medications 

• Severe infections in your blood, lungs, or heart 

5. Bloodstream infections (Sepsis) 

Sepsis can start with fever, chills, a fast heart rate, or rapid breathing. If it gets worse, you might feel confused or notice low blood pressure. You may have trouble going for a wee or feel the need to wee all the time. 

Sepsis is life-threatening and can cause: 

• Difficulty in making decisions, concentrating, and remembering 

• Organ failure 

• Possible death, in worst case scenarios  

All five types of illness are serious but sepsis is a medical emergency and the most deadly hospital-acquired infection example we’ve covered. If you think you might have it, seek help immediately.  

Preventive measures for hospital infections 

Stopping hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) takes teamwork between hospitals and patients.  

Hospitals can make a difference by: 

• Keeping hands and surfaces clean: Making sure hands are washed with soap and water before and after treating every patient is the best way to stop germs from spreading. Staff should also do their best to keep surfaces and equipment clean by using disinfectants and removing clutter.

• Using medical devices safely: Medical devices like IV drips are direct lines into patients so hospitals should only use them when needed. Following the manufacturer’s advice for keeping equipment clean and sterile is a must.

• Using antibiotics wisely: Overusing antibiotics makes some infections harder to treat. Hospitals should prescribe them only when necessary and for the shortest time needed to be effective. 

Here’s how to prevent hospital-acquired infections for patients: 

• Wash your hands: Washing your hands often is one of the easiest ways to look after your health in hospital. Wash them when you’re not sure your hands are clean, as well as before meals and after using the toilet.

• Speak up: If your surroundings seem unclean, tell one of the members of staff on the way. Also let them know if you see redness, swelling, or discharge around a wound or IV site.

• Encourage visitors to help: Ask anyone who’s feeling unwell to stay home to avoid spreading germs. Make sure they wash their hands when they enter and leave the hospital when they come to visit you. 

• Consider ‘Martha’s Rule’: This is a major patient safety initiative which began in April 2024, which provides patients and families with a way to seek an urgent review if theirs (or their loved one’s) condition begins to deteriorate – and they are concerned this is not being responded to by medical staff.  

Legal implications of hospital-acquired infections 

Most infections that patients catch in hospitals occur because they’re ill and their bodies are less able to fight off germs. 

However, that’s not always the case. You may be able to claim compensation for a hospital-acquired infection if your hospital: 

• Didn’t follow hygiene rules, like handwashing or cleaning routines

• Used contaminated equipment or supplies when looking after you 

• Provided poor post-operative care that led to an infection

• Delayed diagnosing or treating your infection

• Didn’t manage or remove devices like catheters or IV lines appropriatley

• Allowed overcrowded or unsanitary conditions that caused infections to spread 

Proving medical negligence 

To prove your claim, your solicitor will need to show that the hospital breached its duty of care and that this caused your infection. The term ‘duty of care’ means that a medical professional treating you, owes you a duty of care for the duration of your treatment. The law expects that the care provided should reach a minimum standard for it to be acceptable. That standard is defined as that which a reasonable body of medical practitioners in the same field at the same time would deem acceptable. 

Solicitors will demonstrate this by: 

• Examining your medical records: They review your medical notes to find signs of poor care, like not diagnosing symptoms fast enough or poor infection control. Medical records are used as a strong source of contemporary evidence, because they are considered drafted by the clinician at the time of treatment, without the intent of litigation. Their validity is therefore true and authentic.

• Investigating hospital protocols and national guidelines, ie National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE): They compare the hospital’s approach to hygiene and care standards, to standards set by regulatory bodies like the CQC.

• Speaking to eyewitnesses: Your solicitor gathers statements from staff or other patients that support claims of poor hygiene or unsanitary conditions.

• Your own testimony: Your solicitor will listen to your version of events, and use this to help build a picture of the full circumstances surround your hospital acquired infection.

• Using expert testimony: Independent medical experts review your case notes to see if the hospital’s actions could have caused your infection and what they could have done to stop it.

• Checking inspection reports: Previous safety or cleanliness violations from regulators, such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC), may back up your claim of poor standards. 

Your compensation award 

The size of the compensation award your solicitor negotiates depends on: 

• The severity of your injury or condition

• The impact it’s had on your life 

• Costs and expenses you’ve incurred as a result of your injury or condition 

If we are able to prove your infection was avoidable and due to negligent treatment, your solicitor then approaches the other side with a suggested settlement figure. Both sides will negotiate to reach an agreement. When we do, we then let you know what that offer is.  

It is important to note that every case we take on is unique, and there are a multitude of factors which impact the final settlement amount, including: 

• The severity of your injury or condition 

• The impact it’s had on your life 

• Costs and expenses you’ve incurred because of your injury or condition 

At Fletchers, we understand how scary suffering a hospital acquired infection can be, and we represent hundreds of clients who have suffered these circumstances due to no fault of their own. 

We appreciate we are unable to take away the damage already done, but our specialised teams can work with you to find the best financial settlement to compensate your suffering. 

Why choose Fletchers Solicitors? 

Fletchers Solicitors is one of the UK’s largest personal injury law firms. We have over 30 years of experience representing clients who have been injured or harmed because of medical negligence. 

We’re one of the Times Newspaper’s Best Law Firms, a top-rated practice on the Chambers & Partners directory, and a top-tier Legal 500 firm. 

We offer our services to clients on a “no-win, no-fee” basis. If we can’t secure compensation for your hospital-acquired infection, you don’t pay us a penny. 

You’ll be represented by hospital negligence experts like Natalia Nowicka. 

They and their teams will be with you every step of the way. They will call on some of Britain’s leading independent medical experts to build the strongest legal case for you. 

We always want to hear from you. If you have any questions about the process or you want to share your thoughts with us on your case, we’re here for you. 

Although you have up to three years to make a claim for a hospital-acquired infection, it’s best to speak with a solicitor straight away, to best understand the validity of your claim.. 

You can start your claim here or call us on 0330 013 0248. 

Related Information and Guides 

For more information on medical negligence cases and the legal issues surrounding them, you can access the following resources: 

• Hospital Negligence Claims: What Patients Need to Know
   

• Factual vs Medical Causation in Medical Negligence
   

• GP Negligence Claims: Understanding Your Legal Rights
   

• Can you sue the NHS? Understanding Your Legal Rights
   

• The importance of medical negligence claims