Emergency care administration manager Sue Scott disposes of the leaflets 77422-57No win no fee firms have been accused of preying on the walking wounded at Swindon's A&E unit by bombarding patients with calling cards.

Their tactics have been described as tasteless opportunism by the town's hospital.

GREAT Western Hospital has declared war on No Win No Fee claim-chasers.

Irate bosses have branded the cheeky sales tactic "tasteless" after targeting the walking wounded in the hospital's busy A&E department.

Up to 400 leaflets promising big payouts for trips and falls are being deposited each week.

Staff have even caught one representative fixing a leaflet dispenser to a wall.

Now it seems they have stepped up their tactless campaign.

Earlier this week keyrings displaying freephone hotline numbers appeared on shelves and on chairs alongside business cards.

And Sue Scott, emergency care administration manager, says enough is enough.

"Hospitals are not dumping grounds for company's promotional literature," she said.

"People who come into A&E are either sick or with a friend or loved one. It can be a very emotional time. They do not want all this thrust at them.

"It has got really bad all of a sudden the other day I ordered one man to leave after I spotted him dropping the leaflets off.

"Patients and their families don't seem like it either two gentleman cheered when I showed the chap the door."

One of the firms advertising No Win No Fee services is Claim Line.

Its leaflet has the bold heading "Accident Victim?" and lists examples of injuries and likely compensation payouts.

Chris Birdsall, spokesman for Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust responsible for the hospital added: "One firm we caught red-handed claimed he had permission.

"I can confirm that permission from the relevant authority has not be given.

"It's tasteless opportunism and it's completely unacceptable.

"Hospitals are public buildings but that does not mean private companies can come in and advertise on our walls.

"How would they like it if other companies came into their offices and plastered their walls in adverts?"

Staff have been ordered to throw all leaflets in the bin as soon as they are spotted.

Brazen

LAST month, Chesterfield Royal Hospital called in its lawyers after it claimed "ambulance-chasing" lawyers were targeting accident and emergency vehicles.

One patient with a broken leg was allegedly approached by a lawyer and asked if he wanted to sue. In another case, an off-duty police officer had to escort a claims-chaser off a ward as he distributed leaflets, keyrings and business cards.

Kevin Shoesmith