Cases of patients at risk double

Figures show incidents of patients at risk of harm in the NHS have risen.

More than 56,000 incidents put patients at risk of harm in the NHS in Wales last year, BBC Wales has learned.

The figure has doubled over the last three years and includes patient accidents, infections and abuse by staff or others.

Patients watchdogs have condemned the increase in incidents as "appalling."

The statistics were uncovered by BBC Wales Dragon's Eye programme and show the number of incidents have risen from 28,000 three years ago.

They are from the national reporting and learning system which collects figures reported by all NHS bodies in Wales and is aimed at making patient care safer.

A patient safety incident is any unintended or unexpected incident which could have or did lead to harm for one or more patients receiving NHS care.

Around a quarter of those incidents resulted in actual harm to patients.

The health service says that some of the increase is due to greater vigilance and better staff reporting of incidents.

PATIENTS AT RISK 2005/06 - nearly 28,000 incidents 2006/7 - more than 37,000 2007/8 - more than 56,000 Source: National Reporting and Learning System/BBC Wales Dragon's Eye

But the system is voluntary and there are calls for a legal duty on every incident.

Carol Jones, the director of the board of community health councils in Wales said: "Quite honestly I'm appalled at the increase in the number of patient safety incidents."

She said increasingly community health councils across Wales were hearing from carers or family members of incidents "that have happened to a loved one in hospital."

The highest number of safety incidents last year reported to the National Reporting and Learning System were recorded as "patient accidents" - more than 23,000.

Peter Black, AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat health spokesman said the figures were deeply worrying.

"I am concerned that this is a voluntary system, I think this should be a compulsory reporting system," he said.

Some examples of incidents reported to the NRLS:

Patient accident: "PT found on floor in toilet by staff nurse, very sleepy, but rousable. No memory of how fell or if hit head. Denies pain."

Medication: "Prescription for insulin written as 6iu. Misread by nurse as 61 units so wrong dose given."

The chief medical officer for Wales Dr Tony Jewell said: "By encouraging all NHS organisations in Wales to report every patient safety incident to the National Patient Safety Agency, we can learn from these errors and reduce the risk of these happening again."

Dragon's Eye is on BBC1 Wales at 10.35 GMT on 29 January.