It is no surprise that some of the families caught up in the Benjamin Geen affair at the Horton Hospital at Banbury may be seeking compensation.

With two patients dead and 15 wounded as a result of Geen's inexplicable behaviour, they have been through a period of unimaginable turmoil. But we hope compensation claims will be kept to sensible proportions.

We are told that payouts will be largely covered by insurance, sparing patient budgets.

But there are worrying signs. The hospital's insurance policy contains an undisclosed excess clause, and there are also fears that its Government grant could be cut as a result of the case.

Our hospitals and other health services have enough financial worries, and the last thing we want is for more patients to suffer.