NHS Deaths and harm in hospitals - mistakes go unreported - unsafe care condemned

As well as the massive harm being done to tens of thousands of patients in the UK due to adverse reactions (ADRs) and withdrawal effects of medicines and anaesthetics, the following report highlights the accidents and mistakes that harm thousands more in NHS care. None of these reports cover the private sector, which from personal experience also tolerates poor practice.

A great deal of the blame must be due to failings in education standards in the area of preventing avoidable harm.

The Dr Foster hospital guide also revealed tens of thousands of patients were harmed in hospital.
Many developed avoidable blood clots, suffered obstetric tears during childbirth, accidental lacerations or puncture wounds, or post-surgery intestinal bleeding and blood poisoning, according to the report published in the Observer.
The study identified four trusts where an unexpectedly high number of patients died after surgery, including Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust where there were 33 more deaths than should have been expected.
It is not possible to say how many of these deaths could have been prevented.
Dr Foster said the mortality rates should act as a warning sign of potential problems in the quality of care.

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