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Maternity patient safety incidents increase

  • Published: 08 October 2008 13:15
  • Last Updated: 08 October 2008 13:15
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Maternity patient safety incidents increase

The number of incidents reported to the National Patient Safety Agency relating to maternity care has increased, newly released figures show.

In 2005 there were 35,428 incidents reported, in 2006 there were 54,775 and in 2007 there were 70,108.

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Reader Response

Added: Sunday, 12 October 2008 10:53 BST
Anonymous, Helston, United Kingdom

The increase may be due in part to improved reporting of incidents but a severe reduction in well trained clinical staffing levels must have some impact surely!


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Added: Friday, 10 October 2008 11:17 BST
amelia lyons, london, United Kingdom

Dr Kevin Cleary, Medical Director of the National Patient Safety Agency, said:

“The increase in maternity related incidents between 2005 and 2007 is in proportion to the increase in reports of all types of patient safety incidents by frontline clinical staff over this period. The NPSA’s Reporting and Learning System is a maturing incident reporting mechanism which has been in existence since 2003. It does not measure rates of incidents in the NHS. A growth in incident reporting reflects more NHS trusts connecting to the system and a greater willingness by NHS clinical staff to report incidents so that there is meaningful learning, which helps prevent further similar incidents occurring. This is a positive indication that there is an evolving and improving patient safety culture in the NHS; this growth is evident in all regions."

In order to disseminate learning from these incidents, the majority of which resulted in no or low harm, the National Patient Safety Agency is currently working in partnership with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives to develop a number of initiatives in this area.


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Added: Wednesday, 8 October 2008 17:26 BST
Department of Health Spokesperson, London, United Kingdom

Providing high quality, safe maternity services, which result in the best possible outcomes for mother and baby, is a top priority for the Government.

Maternity Matters: Choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service is our strategy to deliver the Government’s commitments for a modernised maternity services, placing safety, quality and improving standards at the very heart of its vision.

We are very vigilant to all reports of possible less than optimum care and we commission work in this area, particularly around maternal deaths.

As the National Patient Safety Agency itself has said, the growth in incident reporting reflects more NHS trusts connecting to the system and a greater willingness by NHS clinical staff to report incidents so that there is meaningful learning, which helps prevent further similar incidents occurring. This is a positive indication that there is an evolving and improving patient safety culture in the NHS; this growth is evident in all regions. We welcome this.


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