NHS treats 8,700 patients injured by medical errors
ONE patient has to be treated by the NHS every HOUR for damage caused by medical blunders.
Nearly 8,700 patients had a puncture, perforation, cut or haemorrhage during treatment in England last year – up 43 per cent on 6,082 two years ago.
Incidents of a foreign body – such as equipment – being left in a patient also rose from 159 to 212, says the NHS Digital survey. That is despite them being classed as preventable “never events”. Peter Walsh, of charity Action Against Medical Accidents, said: “The NHS is struggling with finance. But there is no excuse for leaving a foreign object in a patient’s body.” The Department of Health said: “We are driving improvements in patient safety, including taking targeted action on areas such as serious incidents and never events.”