BBC Investigation Reveals NHS IT Failures Leading to Patient Harm
A recent investigation by BBC News found that 126 instances of serious harm, including three patient deaths, were linked to IT issues across 31 acute trusts in England. Of the trusts that responded to a freedom of information request, 89 reported problems with electronic patient record systems that put patients at risk, while nearly 60 trusts reported IT issues impacting patient care.
Three deaths were directly attributed to EPR problems, highlighting the critical nature of the issue. The investigation also uncovered that almost half of trusts recorded incidents of potential patient harm due to IT systems, with over 200,000 medical letters not sent as a result of IT failures.
In response to the report, Professor Erika Denton of NHS England emphasized the importance of high standards in implementing and operating IT systems. NHS England has invested substantial resources in improving IT systems to replace paper records and is working closely with trusts to address concerns and provide support.
One case highlighted in the investigation involved a patient death that the inquest concluded could have been prevented if the IT system had identified the patient as critically ill. A report to prevent future deaths was issued, and measures are being taken to address the issues identified.
The investigation also found that over 2,000 potential patient harm incidents and three serious cases at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust were linked to IT system failures. Oracle Health UK, the provider of the system, emphasized their commitment to working with NHS partners to deliver safe and effective care.
County Durham and Darlington NHS FT acknowledged the seriousness of the coroners’ report and is taking steps to address the shortcomings in their IT systems to ensure patient safety.
