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Jeremy Hunt: NHS errors mean eight patients die a day Jeremy Hunt: NHS errors mean eight patients die a day
(3 months later)
Three thousand patients a year – eight a day – die because of lapses in safety in the NHS, where errors are so common that people have become conditioned to the thought of patient harm, the health secretary has said.Three thousand patients a year – eight a day – die because of lapses in safety in the NHS, where errors are so common that people have become conditioned to the thought of patient harm, the health secretary has said.
In a strongly worded attack on how the NHS treats patients, Jeremy Hunt said appalling failures in care such as those at Stafford hospital and in the Morecambe Bay scandal exposed this week showed that unacceptable medical practice was tolerated.In a strongly worded attack on how the NHS treats patients, Jeremy Hunt said appalling failures in care such as those at Stafford hospital and in the Morecambe Bay scandal exposed this week showed that unacceptable medical practice was tolerated.
The NHS failed too many times in the vital area of safety, Hunt claimed.The NHS failed too many times in the vital area of safety, Hunt claimed.
In a speech on patient safety two days after the Care Quality Commission was revealed to have suppressed a highly critical internal report on its handling of baby deaths at Furness hospital in Cumbria, the health secretary said: "In the wake of Mid Staffs, Morecambe Bay and many other shocking lapses in care, we must ask ourselves whether we, along with other countries, have become so numbed to the inevitability of patient harm that we accept the unacceptable.In a speech on patient safety two days after the Care Quality Commission was revealed to have suppressed a highly critical internal report on its handling of baby deaths at Furness hospital in Cumbria, the health secretary said: "In the wake of Mid Staffs, Morecambe Bay and many other shocking lapses in care, we must ask ourselves whether we, along with other countries, have become so numbed to the inevitability of patient harm that we accept the unacceptable.
"That grim fatalism about the statistics has blunted the anger that we should feel about every single individual we let down, anger that should be the fuel of an uncompromising determination to put things right. It is time for a major rethink," Hunt said."That grim fatalism about the statistics has blunted the anger that we should feel about every single individual we let down, anger that should be the fuel of an uncompromising determination to put things right. It is time for a major rethink," Hunt said.
Patients whose safety was compromised while receiving care represented a tiny proportion of all those treated, the health secretary said, but still about 500,000 patients were harmed and 3,000 died each year as a direct result of safety failings.Patients whose safety was compromised while receiving care represented a tiny proportion of all those treated, the health secretary said, but still about 500,000 patients were harmed and 3,000 died each year as a direct result of safety failings.
"The NHS sees getting on for three million people every week. On the basis of the statistics we have (about which more later), around 0.4% of those ended up with incidents of harm. 0.003% ended with a person's death."The NHS sees getting on for three million people every week. On the basis of the statistics we have (about which more later), around 0.4% of those ended up with incidents of harm. 0.003% ended with a person's death.
"This is a tiny proportion of the total number of people treated. But even those figures amount to nearly half a million people harmed unnecessarily every year. And 3,000 people who lost their lives last year – not despite our best efforts, but because of failures in our efforts. That's more than eight patients dying needlessly every single day in our wards and operating theatres," he said."This is a tiny proportion of the total number of people treated. But even those figures amount to nearly half a million people harmed unnecessarily every year. And 3,000 people who lost their lives last year – not despite our best efforts, but because of failures in our efforts. That's more than eight patients dying needlessly every single day in our wards and operating theatres," he said.
He cited the occurrence in 2011–12 of 326 "never events" – serious safety lapses that should never occur in the NHS, such as surgeons operating on the wrong part of a patient's body – as further proof that the NHS's safety culture was inadequate.He cited the occurrence in 2011–12 of 326 "never events" – serious safety lapses that should never occur in the NHS, such as surgeons operating on the wrong part of a patient's body – as further proof that the NHS's safety culture was inadequate.
That was likely to be a significant underestimate he said. "The ones we know about include 161 people with foreign objects left in their bodies, like swabs or surgical tools; 70 people suffering wrong-site surgery, where the wrong part of the body or even the wrong patient was operated on; and 41 people given incorrect implants or prostheses.That was likely to be a significant underestimate he said. "The ones we know about include 161 people with foreign objects left in their bodies, like swabs or surgical tools; 70 people suffering wrong-site surgery, where the wrong part of the body or even the wrong patient was operated on; and 41 people given incorrect implants or prostheses.
"Put another way, every other day we leave a foreign object in someone's body, every week we operate on the wrong part of someone's body, and every fortnight we insert the wrong implant. This is the silent scandal of our NHS," Hunt said. "Yes, still, the NHS fails too many times.""Put another way, every other day we leave a foreign object in someone's body, every week we operate on the wrong part of someone's body, and every fortnight we insert the wrong implant. This is the silent scandal of our NHS," Hunt said. "Yes, still, the NHS fails too many times."
Robert Francis QC's official report in February on the Mid Staffordshire care scandal, in which an estimated 400 to 1,200 patients died unnecessarily at Stafford hospital between 2005 and 2008, called for the NHS to make "zero harm" its objective.Robert Francis QC's official report in February on the Mid Staffordshire care scandal, in which an estimated 400 to 1,200 patients died unnecessarily at Stafford hospital between 2005 and 2008, called for the NHS to make "zero harm" its objective.
In the wake of that report, David Cameron asked Don Berwick, a former adviser to President Barack Obama on healthcare, to review patient safety across the NHS. His report is expected to be finished by the end of July.In the wake of that report, David Cameron asked Don Berwick, a former adviser to President Barack Obama on healthcare, to review patient safety across the NHS. His report is expected to be finished by the end of July.
Hunt said that despite the NHS's current failings, "it also holds the keys to becoming the world's safest health system – not just by today's standards but by the standards we all aspire to".Hunt said that despite the NHS's current failings, "it also holds the keys to becoming the world's safest health system – not just by today's standards but by the standards we all aspire to".
He outlined a series of changes needed to achieve that target, including:He outlined a series of changes needed to achieve that target, including:
• "A culture of openness and candour which sees more data published than any other health economy in the world."• "A culture of openness and candour which sees more data published than any other health economy in the world."
• "An inspection regime that will drive hospitals to put the patient first and foremost in everything they do, with a responsible consultant and a senior nurse accountable for every single patient."• "An inspection regime that will drive hospitals to put the patient first and foremost in everything they do, with a responsible consultant and a senior nurse accountable for every single patient."
• "Better measurement and reporting of the extent of harm-free care in our hospitals."• "Better measurement and reporting of the extent of harm-free care in our hospitals."
• "But most of all, through creating a new culture which engages and listens better to frontline staff so they help us to design systems that prioritise safety whatever the pressures.".• "But most of all, through creating a new culture which engages and listens better to frontline staff so they help us to design systems that prioritise safety whatever the pressures.".
He added: "The lesson of recent tragedies is that the NHS must never again be silent about patient safety – because it matters too much."He added: "The lesson of recent tragedies is that the NHS must never again be silent about patient safety – because it matters too much."
The Royal College of Physicians, which represents hospital doctors, backed Hunt's call for more transparency about the practise of and outcomes in healthcare. Sir Richard Thompson, the college's president, also endorsed the idea of every patient having a named consultant in charge of their care – which Francis recommended.The Royal College of Physicians, which represents hospital doctors, backed Hunt's call for more transparency about the practise of and outcomes in healthcare. Sir Richard Thompson, the college's president, also endorsed the idea of every patient having a named consultant in charge of their care – which Francis recommended.
"We welcome this call from the health secretary, and also we believe it will help to improve patient experience of healthcare," said Thompson."We welcome this call from the health secretary, and also we believe it will help to improve patient experience of healthcare," said Thompson.
The college also wants to see greater use of "accurate, team-based information about [hospital] services [which] will facilitate patient choice and raise standards", such as clinical audits already undertaken by the college, for example in the provision of stroke care.The college also wants to see greater use of "accurate, team-based information about [hospital] services [which] will facilitate patient choice and raise standards", such as clinical audits already undertaken by the college, for example in the provision of stroke care.
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