Adverse Events (Hansard, 10 December 2002)

§ Chris Grayling
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on current research into adverse events in hospitals. [85774]

§ Mr. Lammy
As set out in the report, "An Organisation with a Memory", international research demonstrates that significant numbers of adverse events occur in healthcare systems across the world.
In the United Kingdom, the Department has commissioned a programme of research into patient safety, which seeks to build upon and complement international work in this area. The programme is led by Professor Richard Lilford at the University of Birmingham. Work already completed includes systematic reviews of existing international research and examining the nature of errors in primary care. A number of studies are currently under way looking at obstetric injury, errors in accident and emergency units and the operating theatre, and errors resulting in litigation. Professor Lilford is working closely with the National Patient Safety Agency. Further information is available from the University of Birmingham patient safety research programme website at www.publichealth.bham.ac.uk/psrp.

§ Chris Grayling
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of NHS patients affected by adverse events in British hospitals in the last 12 months. [85775]
283W

§ Mr. Lammy
At the present time, we do not know what proportion of national health service patients are affected by adverse events in British hospitals. However, as reported in "An Organisation with a Memory", a report of an expert group on learning from adverse events chaired by the Chief Medical Officer, it is estimated that errors may occur in 10 per cent. of hospital admissions. This is in line with research carried out in other countries including New Zealand, Canada and Denmark.
The Government established the National Patient Safety Agency in July 2001 to improve the safety of NHS patient care by promoting an open and fair culture and by introducing a national reporting and learning system for adverse events. It is planned for the reporting and learning system to be rolled out across the NHS from summer 2003. The system will, in time, enable us to understand the true nature and extent of adverse events in the NHS and prevent them being repeated.

Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002—ambulance staff vacancies in NHS trusts, by DHSC and NHS trust—three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post

Ambulance staff (excluding HA staff)

Three month vacancy rate (percentage) Three month vacancy number Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount)

England (excluding HA staff) 0.5 90 16,320 16,920

Midlands and Eastern 0.9 40 4,850 5,060

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance and Paramedic Service NHS Trust 2.4 10 470 480

East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust 0.0 0 810 890

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 900 910

Essex Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 640 720

Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11.8 30 220 220

Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Services NHS Trust 0.0 0 410 410

Shropshire's Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust 0.0 0 190 190

Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 260 270

Warwickshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 290 290

West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 670 670

London 0.0 0 2,310 2,330

Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Trust 0.0 0 20 20

London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 2,280 2,300

North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 0.0 0 10 10

Parkside Health NHS Trust ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Northern 0.3 20 4,560 4,810

Christie Hospital NHS Trust ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 230 260

Greater Manchester Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 730 740

Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.2 0 580 620

Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 560 560

North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust 2.5 20 580 590

North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

North Tyneside PCT ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

South Manchester PCT ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance and Paramedic Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 420 450

Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 580 590

West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 870 1,010

Southern 0.5 30 4,600 4,720

Avon Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 320 340

Cornwall Healthcare NHS Trust ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Dorset Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0.0 0 230 230

Gloucestershire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 2.9 10 210 210

Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002—ambulance staff vacancies in NHS trusts, by DHSC and NHS trust—three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post
	Ambulance staff (excluding HA staff)
	Three month vacancy rate (percentage)	Three month vacancy number	Staff in post (whole-time equivalent)	Staff in post (headcount)
England (excluding HA staff)	0.5	90	16,320	16,920
Midlands and Eastern	0.9	40	4,850	5,060
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance and Paramedic Service NHS Trust	2.4	10	470	480
East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust	0.0	0	810	890
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	900	910
Essex Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	640	720
Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service NHS Trust	11.8	30	220	220
Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Services NHS Trust	0.0	0	410	410
Shropshire's Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust	0.0	0	190	190
Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	260	270
Warwickshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	290	290
West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	670	670
London	0.0	0	2,310	2,330
Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Trust	0.0	0	20	20
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	2,280	2,300
North West London Hospitals NHS Trust	0.0	0	10	10
Parkside Health NHS Trust	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Northern	0.3	20	4,560	4,810
Christie Hospital NHS Trust	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	230	260
Greater Manchester Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	730	740
Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.2	0	580	620
Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	560	560
North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust	2.5	20	580	590
North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
North Tyneside PCT	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
South Manchester PCT	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance and Paramedic Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	420	450
Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	580	590
West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	870	1,010
Southern	0.5	30	4,600	4,720
Avon Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	320	340
Cornwall Healthcare NHS Trust	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Dorset Ambulance Service NHS Trust	0.0	0	230	230
Gloucestershire Ambulance Service NHS Trust	2.9	10	210	210