More than 30,000 medication errors were reported last year leading to 21 patient deaths and serious harm of 27 others, new research reveals.
In total 5,500 patients were in some way damaged by mistakes in the prescription process, such as being given the wrong drug, the wrong dosage, or not being supplied with medicine when it was needed.
The figures, uncovered by the Department of Health and Social Care in a written response to a question from Labour’s Shadow Health Minister Karin Smyth MP, showed 34,000 medication errors were reported last year across all NHS trusts.
Data obtained by the Labour Party through freedom of information request revealed that NHS Resolution, the body responsible for legal disputes in the health service, spent £39 million last year on settling legal claims where patients had been harmed by medication errors.
Labour says the figures highlight the need for the government to properly eradicate ‘outdated’ paper prescribing methods throughout the NHS.
In 2019, the NHS Long Term Plan pledged to introduced digital prescribing systems at all NHS trusts by 2024, backed by £78 million of funding. It was claimed that electronic systems would reduce errors by up to 30 percent when compared with paper prescribing.
However, in February, Health Minister Andrew Stephenson revealed in another written response that the Department was unaware of how many trusts were still reliant on paper prescription notes, stating that it was now ‘not strictly mandated’ for NHS hospitals to use an electronic prescription service.
The Labour party says the failure to tackle prescription errors in the NHS is costing the public huge sums of money.
Since the Government first pledged to eliminate paper prescribing, the yearly cost in legal damages has more than tripled: from £8 million in 2018/19 to £26 million last year, with 129 more successful claims.
Karin Smyth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, said: “For 14 years the Government has failed to modernise the NHS, with patients suffering as a result.”
“Yet again, the Tories have over-promised and under-delivered on digital reform in the NHS, with a terrifying cost in patient lives and taxpayer money.
“Labour will embrace the technological revolution in healthcare, bringing the NHS into the digital age to deliver the best care for patients.”
A government spokesman said: “We take patient safety incredibly seriously. This week we announced a call for evidence as part of our review into the duty of candour, to ensure honesty and integrity remain at the heart of the NHS.
“Digital reform also has a major role in making our NHS services safer and the Chancellor has announced £3.4 billion of capital investment in new technologies to reduce errors and boost productivity.”
