UK's NHS success

Deaths caused by hospital mistakes 'up 60 per cent in two years'
The number of hospital patients killed by mistakes has risen by 60 per cent in two years, official figures show.

By Jon Swaine Last Updated: 10:58AM GMT 06 Jan 2009
NHS records show that 3,645 people died as a result of "patient safety incidents" - including botched operations and the outbreak of infections - between April 2007 and March 2008. The figure was 1,370 higher than two years earlier.
Patient groups have warned that the true toll is likely to be higher because some hospitals do not record all incidents.
The figures, which were uncovered by the Liberal Democrats, show that 385 people died due to blunders made during operations, while 156 deaths occurred because they were incorrectly diagnosed or their scans were wrongly read.
A further 22 died due to abuse by hospital staff or visitors. Another 171 people died due to simple accidents, including falls.
Erroneous administration of drugs killed another 54, while 40 were the victims of faulty medical equipment.
Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, told the Daily Mail: "These statistics are stark and the trend is shocking. There needs to be a change of culture at the heart of the NHS. We have got far too many targets and there is a real risk that, although they are very effective at addressing a specific issue, they mean trusts do not see safety as a priority."
Roger Goss, from the pressure group Patient Concern, told the newspaper: "Patients are already extremely nervous when they have to go to hospital, so they need this news like a hole in the head."