§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have(a) died and (b) suffered adverse side effects, from general anaesthetic drugs used in National Health Service hospitals for each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe table gives the available information. It shows the number of deaths in England and Wales with an underlying cause of death attributed to general anaesthetics between 1979–88 and where the death has occurred in a National Health Service Hospital. Information relating to the number of adverse side-effects is not available.
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Number of deaths from general anaesthetic drugs, NHS hospitals, 1979–88, England and Wales Category of death Year E855.11 E938.1 to E938.41 1979 — 1 1980 — — 1981 — 2 1982 — 1 1983 — 2 1984 — 3 1985 1 — 1986 — 1 1987 — — 1988 1 1 Source: OPCS death registrations.
1 International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9th revision codes: E855.1: Accidental poisonings by other drugs acting upon the central and autonomic systems: includes ether, gaseous anaesthetics, intravenous anaesthetics, halogenated hydrocarbon derivatives, thiobarbiturates.
E938.1 to E938.4: Other central nervous system depressants (general anaesthetics). Correct drug properly administered, but adverse reaction to it.