A HOSPICE in Bradford will get £3,400 after solicitors won care costs from a former employer of one of its patients.

Michael Bannister, of Horton Bank Top, died of the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma. He had worked at Associated Weavers Ltd, off Wakefield Road, Bradford.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell, who said Mr Bannister was exposed to asbestos from the insulation and lagging used in and around the factory, won the care costs on behalf of the Marie Curie Hospice on Maudsley Street, Barkerend.

Mr Bannister was cared for at the hospice before his death.

The settlement follows a landmark ruling in a 2010 case led by Irwin Mitchell which found that the insurers of a company responsible for the death of a worker from asbestos should contribute to his or her hospice care costs.

MORE TOP STORIES

Mr Bannister's brother John, 62, thanked the carers at Marie Curie for the care they provided to his sibling and was on-hand to present the cheque to hospice manager Elaine Hill.

John, of Bradford, said: "When my legal team at Irwin Mitchell explained to me the fact that Michael's care was only partially funded by the NHS and that we could include a claim for the cost of Michael's care as part of the overall settlement, I leapt at the opportunity.

"By doing so I have been able to repay to the hospice the cost of my brother's care. That money can then be used to take care of someone else who is terminally ill."

Mark Aldridge, a specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: "We have very strong links with a number of local hospices in Yorkshire that provide vital care to many of our clients who are suffering with terminal illnesses as a result of their exposure to asbestos.

"We are delighted to have been able to secure a settlement from Michael’s former employers and recover his care costs. This will help to ensure that the Marie Curie Hospice in Bradford can continue providing a fantastic service for local people."

Elaine Hill said: "While hospice care is always free at the point of delivery, many people do not realise that, at the Marie Curie Hospice Bradford, we only receive about 40 per cent of our funding from local NHS commissioning groups.

"We have to find the remaining funds from charitable donations and money we raise ourselves through other fundraising efforts. It is a constant challenge for the hospice sector to meet the costs of the care that we provide."