A DISABLED patient claims he was put at risk of catching the deadly MRSA superbug while in Dorset County Hospital.

Polio sufferer Ian White, 55, said he had to wait an agonising month to find out whether he had contracted the highly contagious virus after being given the bed opposite a man who had the infection.

He has hit out at Dorchester's flagship hospital for its care of the disabled and elderly following a report from an independent authority published only a few days ago announcing that the hospital was one of the best in the country for the over-50s.

Electrical technician Mr White, of Faversham, Wey-mouth, spent two weeks in Dorset County Hospital during August to have metal pins removed from his leg after it became infected.

He was moved to a new ward the day after his stitches were removed.

Mr White said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw a notice on the door saying a man in my ward was suspected of having MRSA. I asked questions but staff said to keep quiet so we wouldn't upset the old boy who had it.

"Why did they have other people near him while he was suspected of it? Then tests showed he was infected. It was very frightening and I had just had my stitches out so it could have been passed to me.

"I am already partly paralysed and don't know what I'd do if I had got it."

Mr White said nurses took a swab to test for MRSA on the day he was discharged, but he did not get the results until a month later when he made an appointment with his GP because he had not received them.

He added: "I am relieved that the tests proved negative. I had heard nothing for weeks and was scared stiff. I would definitely think twice before going back to that hospital."

He has lodged a complaint with the hospital and is awaiting a response.

Alison Tong, director of nursing at the hospital, said she could not comment on individual cases but it was usual practice to isolate anyone who has MRSA.

She said there were 0.14 cases of MRSA per 1,000 bed days at the hospital for the year 2002-3, and added: "We are working really hard to reduce this number.

"MRSA is rife in the community but does not become a problem unless there is an open wound."