Medical Negligence Patient Safety

What Patient Safety incidents are reported in Ireland

Patient Safety incidents are systematically reported to monitor, investigate, and prevent adverse events in healthcare. These incidents include a broad range of events that result in harm or have the potential to harm patients. The Health Service Executive (HSE) and other healthcare institutions use reporting systems like the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to capture and analyse these events. Here are the main types of patient safety incidents that are commonly reported:

1. Adverse Events

a) Medication Mistakes.

b) Anaesthesia-Related Events.

c) Infections 

2. Never Events

a) Wrong-Site Surgery.

b) Retained Foreign Objects.

c) Blood Transfusion Mistakes.

3. Medication-Related Incidents

a) Prescribing Mistakes.

b) Dispensing Mistakes.

c) Administration Mistakes

4. Falls

Patient falls in hospitals, nursing homes, or other healthcare settings are reported, particularly when they lead to harm.

5. Diagnostic Mistakes

Delay in diagnosis, a missed diagnosis, or an incorrect diagnosis.

6. Healthcare-Associated Infections (HCAIs)

7. Pressure Ulcers (Bedsores)

8. Maternal and Neonatal Incidents

9. Blood Transfusion and Transplantation Mistakes

10. Communication Failures

11. Mental Health-Related Incidents

12. Consent and Confidentiality Breaches

13. Radiation Incidents

Errors in the use of radiological equipment or treatment.

14. Restraint-Related Incidents

In healthcare settings, the use of physical restraints or sedation inappropriately or without proper monitoring is considered a Patient Safety concern and has to be reported.  

15. Other Patient Safety Incidents can Include:

a) Delays in Treatment.

b) Equipment Failures.

c) Staffing Issues.

Reporting Process

Patient Safety incidents are reported through:

a) National Incident Management System (NIMS).

b) Serious Reportable Events (SREs).

Once incidents are reported, healthcare providers analyse them to identify root causes, implement preventive measures, and improve safety systems.

For more detailed insights into how the Patient Safety Act 2023 impacts you and how Whelan Law can support you, please visit our Patient Safety Rights Legal Advice https://www.whelanlaw.ie/news/medical-negligence-and-patient-safety/