Displaying items by tag: Patient Care

IT system failures in the NHS have been linked to three patient deaths and over 100 instances of serious harm, according to a BBC investigation. A Freedom of Information request revealed that 200,000 medical letters went unsent due to computer problems. Nearly half of hospital trusts with electronic patient systems reported problems potentially affecting patient care. Despite a £900m investment in improved systems, many hospitals face significant challenges with their electronic patient record (EPR) systems. A tragic case involves 22-year-old Darnell Smith, whose vital signs were not monitored due to a computer system failure. He died from pneumonia after his care plan was not visible to staff. Coroners have warned of the risks posed by these IT failures, emphasising the need for reliable technology. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine called these findings 'shocking and deeply worrying.' NHS England acknowledges the importance of high-standard EPR systems and is working with trusts to address these issues and ensure patient safety.

Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth has been given a formal warning by the Care Quality Commission over its very poor care standards. Staff were seen secretly feeding antibiotics to patients by hiding the medication in their ice-cream. Two others had medicines secretly mixed with their meals, with no records to support the practice, which is against medical guidelines. Inspectors had to intervene and help a choking patient when two staff members failed to act. The CQC raised concerns about two babies being sent home despite having ‘bruising of unknown origin’. Inspectors learned of two mental health patients absconding from a unit which treated vulnerable teenagers alongside suicidal adults. Patient Jenny White said she witnessed an elderly lady being ‘torn off a strip’ for wetting her bed after being told no commode was available.