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03/11/2005
More than 2,000 die in NHS accidents
More than 2,000 people died in hospitals in England last year, due to lapses in patient safety, according to a new report.
The National Audit Office found that there were 980,000 reported incidents and near misses in England’s hospitals in 2004-05. The report also said that it was “widely acknowledged” that there was significant under-reporting of deaths and that the actual number of deaths could be as high as 34,000.
The NAO said that a retrospective study of patient records in two English hospitals found that just over 10% of patients experienced an “adverse event” in hospital and it was judged that around 5.2% of these could have been prevented.
A patient safety incident was defined as any unintended or unexpected event that causes death, disability, injury, disease or suffering for one or more patients. The most common incidents reported were: patient injury (due to falls), followed by medication errors, equipment-related incidents, record documentation error and communication failure.
The cost of patient safety incidents was estimated to cost around £2 billion per year.
NAO Sir John Bourn said: “There needs to be significantly faster progress at the national level in ensuring effective evaluation of numbers, types and causes of incidents. And lessons and solutions must be better evaluated and shared by all organisations with a role in keeping patients safe.”
NAO made a number of recommendations aimed at enhancing and sustaining the development of an effective safety culture. These included: improving the reliability and completeness of reporting; and encouraging learning and the development of effective solutions.
The report also recommended that there should be a clearer definition of ‘near-misses’ and encouragement of staff to report them and suggested that the Department should explore the possibility of a single point to which all staff can report.
(KMcA/SP)
The National Audit Office found that there were 980,000 reported incidents and near misses in England’s hospitals in 2004-05. The report also said that it was “widely acknowledged” that there was significant under-reporting of deaths and that the actual number of deaths could be as high as 34,000.
The NAO said that a retrospective study of patient records in two English hospitals found that just over 10% of patients experienced an “adverse event” in hospital and it was judged that around 5.2% of these could have been prevented.
A patient safety incident was defined as any unintended or unexpected event that causes death, disability, injury, disease or suffering for one or more patients. The most common incidents reported were: patient injury (due to falls), followed by medication errors, equipment-related incidents, record documentation error and communication failure.
The cost of patient safety incidents was estimated to cost around £2 billion per year.
NAO Sir John Bourn said: “There needs to be significantly faster progress at the national level in ensuring effective evaluation of numbers, types and causes of incidents. And lessons and solutions must be better evaluated and shared by all organisations with a role in keeping patients safe.”
NAO made a number of recommendations aimed at enhancing and sustaining the development of an effective safety culture. These included: improving the reliability and completeness of reporting; and encouraging learning and the development of effective solutions.
The report also recommended that there should be a clearer definition of ‘near-misses’ and encouragement of staff to report them and suggested that the Department should explore the possibility of a single point to which all staff can report.
(KMcA/SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A chilly start with a widespread frost and some freezing fog, any freezing fog slow to clear. Otherwise bright with sunny spells and coastal showers. Light winds. Maximum temperature 6 °C.Tonight:Coastal showers dying out with a widespread frost developing along with freezing fog, which could become extensive. Winds remaining light. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
