NHS staff are carrying out the equivalent of one 'never-event' every day, figures show

NHS staff are carrying out the equivalent of one 'never-event' every day, figures show. 

This is despite the Government ordering a crackdown on the mistakes, which cost hospitals an estimated £800million in compensation each year. 

Experts today demanded further action on 'unacceptable' levels of never-events, blaming inadequate staffing levels and a lack of investment in the NHS. 

A MailOnline audit of a decade's worth of NHS data found a colossal 4,328 never-events have occurred in England since 2013. This equates to roughly eight a week. 

Shocking incidents uncovered include women getting parts of their reproductive anatomy cut out instead of an appendix, men getting unwanted circumcisions and laser procedures to the wrong eye. 

The Royal College of Surgeons said the level of never-events was 'unacceptable' and blamed NHS staffing levels for increasing the risk to patients. 

"Surgeons will be working hard to do their best for patients, but they do so in difficult circumstances," a spokesperson said. 

"The NHS is overstretched, with staff shortages, a workforce suffering from burn-out and pressure to get record waiting times down. 

"This increases the risk of mistakes happening." 

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Source: MailOnline, 10 October 2023