One million patients a year are put at risk by hospital blunders and near misses, official figures have revealed.

One million patients at risk in NHS, official figures find
article in the Telegraph

Extracts:

"However experts warned many more are being swept under the carpet as healthcare staff and managers fail to report incidents.

Data on the number of incidents relating to patient safety, the type and the level of harm occurring in each NHS organisation in England and Wales has been published for the first time."

"Anna Walker, Chief Executive of the Healthcare Commission, said: "We know that a significant gap exists between the number of incidents that are reported by the NHS and the number that happen in reality. We welcome the publication of information from individual NHS trusts and increases in reporting because they bring us closer to the true picture of safety and allow a critical and honest assessment of where improvements need to be made. This is a vital part of improving the safety of patients.""

To the best of my knowledge none of the massive amount of medical negligence I have myself experienced has ever been reported by staff, and my own attempts to report it and get anything done have been stonewalled and no action taken to improve the system or the health professionals' behaviour or performance. I was even threatened with libel action if I continued to complain about the appalling treatment I had received...)o: