Nurse awarded 144k for latex allergy

 A nurse at Bolton Royal Hospital has received 144,000 in compensation after her allergy to latex gloves went untreated for years.

Despite the allergy developing over nearly 10 years and regular visits to the hospital’s OH service, Bernadette Chouchene was never provided with alternative gloves.

Instead, she was prescribed E45 and hydrocortisone creams by her GP and advised to wear cotton gloves under the latex ones by the hospital, which she found completely impractical.

Solicitor Sarah Brumpton, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, which represented Couchene, said: “It’s incredible that despite the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988, the hospital made no attempt to monitor this lady.

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“She tried to do the right thing by going to her OH department but she was never properly tested and provided with an alternative, nor was her condition ever monitored.”

Lesley Doherty, director of nursing at the hospital, said: “We are now fully aware of the distress the condition can cause to staff and the effects it may have on their career in healthcare. We have made every effort to stop such a case occurring again and are far more proactive in caring for nurses with latex sensitivity.”