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Keep up to date with the latest news, research and activity in patient safety.

NHS ’clearly failing’ to ensure children get measles vaccine, experts warn

Children are at risk of measles because the NHS is “clearly failing” to ensure they get the MMR vaccine and its system needs an urgent overhaul, MPs and health experts have warned.
Calls are growing for major reform of how MMR jabs are delivered as it emerged that vaccination rates in some parts of England are now on a par with those in Afghanistan and Malawi.
More outbreaks of measles like the one in north London are inevitable, public health specialists believe, given that fewer than 60% of five-year-olds in some places have had both the recommended doses of MMR.
In Enfield, where 60 children have recently contracted measles, of whom 15 have been hospitalised, the MMR vaccination rate is only 64.3%. That is lower than the 69.3% rate in Malawi and just above Afghanistan’s 62% rate. The World Health Organization advises a 95% rate.
The outbreak in Enfield has reignited public and medical anxiety about unvaccinated children getting measles, which can damage the brain and lungs and in some cases lead to meningitis, blindness or even death. Five “catch-up clinics” have been set up in local community centres to vaccinate children who got either one or no doses of MMR when it was offered to their parents.
Read full story
Source: The Guardian, 16 February 2026
Patient Safety Learning

We will deliver on the Hughes Report says Health Secretary Wes Streeting

As we mark two years since the publication of the Hughes Report, a Westminster Hall debate was held that gave a stern warning to government – do not cruelly give women false compensation hope.
Following the debate, Wes Streeting was interviewed by ITV, where he made a statement saying he intends to be the Health Secretary who finally delivers on the Hughes Report.
For many women, this was the first time in years they felt a glimmer of real political commitment. Words alone are not enough – but they matter. They set expectations. And we will hold him to that promise.
MPs from across the House once again highlighted the cost of delay and called for an urgent full, fair compensation scheme, proper psychological support for affected families and an end to the the systemic failings that allowed these women’s health scandals to unfold.
The Hughes Report in 2024 followed on from the Fist Do No Harm report in 2020 – both of which called for non adversarial financial for women harmed by pelvic mesh, including rectopexy mesh, sodium valproate, and Primodos. Sadly, Primodos families have been dropped from compensation scheme talks.
Read full story
Source: Sling the Mesh, 12 February 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Delays repairing ageing ambulances hitting response times

Some ambulance trusts report that up to two-fifths of their ambulances are unavailable, with ageing vehicles sidelined for repairs and replacements.
An over-reliance on old vehicles is being exacerbated by problems related to industry fixing and supplying new ambulances.
In one case, 43% of South Central Ambulance Service’s vehicles are “off road”, which is having “a negative impact on 999 performance, with insufficient fleet capacity to meet operational hours required”.
It blamed the need for repairs on an ageing fleet, delays in the delivery of new vehicles, and existing vehicles being “overused” in an attempt to compensate.
South Central Ambulance Service Foundation Trust – which covers the Thames Valley and Hampshire region – also confirmed ambulance availability was a factor in it declaring a “business continuity incident” last month.
The incident was called when winter pressures, compounded by the capacity problems, saw an increase in response times for category 2 incidents, which cover a wide range of 999 calls, including suspected heart attacks and strokes.
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 16 February 2026
Sam

Second COMPASS programme launched

The Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) have announced a second pilot programme of their innovative assessment tool designed to examine the impact of organisational culture on safe care.
The initial pilot of the MNSI tool, called COMPASS – Culture of Organisations and its iMpact on PAtientS’ Safety ­­– ran in spring 2025 with 12 NHS Trusts.
The tool is based on a literature review by the Patient Experience Library which analysed more than 10 years of avoidable harm inquiry reports and identified recurring ‘cultural red flags’ that compromise patient safety.
Feedback from the first pilot included:
Almost all Trusts agreed that COMPASS added insight into the impact of organisational culture on patient safety A majority indicated that they would take actions based on their COMPASS results Half reported that the process had a positive effect on the relationship between MNSI and their Trust Most respondents felt that regular use of COMPASS would be of benefit, with some expressing interest in using the tool independently. The second pilot will test tool refinements made in response to feedback and further explore its value for Trusts and the wider maternity and neonatal system.
The work will include up to six months of collecting observations of organisational culture, analysis of collected data and presentation of findings to hospital maternity leadership teams to provide external insight. Trust staff will be invited to share feedback on their experience and the value of COMPASS to their organisation.
Read full story
Source: MNSI, 16 February 2026
Related reading on the hub:
Evidencing the impact of culture on patient safety – a new tool from MNSI (a blog by Chris McQuitty)
Patient Safety Learning

NHSE ‘worried’ about ‘rigour’ of management of neighbourhoods

NHS England is worried about the “rigour of management” of neighbourhoods, its chair has said.
Asked to summarise progress on neighbourhoods and what aspects needed most attention, Penny Dash told a conference on Wednesday: “The bit we worry about is, actually, management.
“Because quite a lot of [neighbourhood health] still feels that it’s great people doing great work, but it hasn’t got quite that rigour of the management behind it that you might want to see.”
Dr Dash also said she was concerned the health service was “still slightly struggling to create this impetus and momentum” to fulfil the ambitions of the 10-Year Health Plan.
She stressed that progress needs to be made “now”, “not least because the science is here now”, referencing things like genomics.
“There’s an awful lot happening in the live world of healthcare that we need to bottle and keep the momentum up on that,” she said.
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 13 February 2026
Sam

Google puts users at risk by downplaying health disclaimers under AI Overviews

Google is putting people at risk of harm by downplaying safety warnings that its AI-generated medical advice may be wrong.
When answering queries about sensitive topics such as health, the company says its AI Overviews, which appear above search results, prompt users to seek professional help, rather than relying solely on its summaries. “AI Overviews will inform people when it’s important to seek out expert advice or to verify the information presented,” Google has said.
But the Guardian found the company does not include any such disclaimers when users are first presented with medical advice.
Google only issues a warning if users choose to request additional health information and click on a button called “Show more”. Even then, safety labels only appear below all of the extra medical advice assembled using generative AI, and in a smaller, lighter font.
AI experts and patient advocates presented with the Guardian’s findings said they were concerned. Disclaimers serve a vital purpose, they said, and should appear prominently when users are first provided with medical advice.
“The absence of disclaimers when users are initially served medical information creates several critical dangers,” said Pat Pataranutaporn, an assistant professor, technologist and researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a world-renowned expert in AI and human-computer interaction.
“First, even the most advanced AI models today still hallucinate misinformation or exhibit sycophantic behaviour, prioritising user satisfaction over accuracy. In healthcare contexts, this can be genuinely dangerous.
“Second, the issue isn’t just about AI limitations – it’s about the human side of the equation. Users may not provide all necessary context or may ask the wrong questions by misobserving their symptoms.
“Disclaimers serve as a crucial intervention point. They disrupt this automatic trust and prompt users to engage more critically with the information they receive.”
Read full story
Source: The Guardian, 16 February 2026
Sam

These women didn't suffer racial slurs in maternity care - it was something more insidious

"I was told by the midwife to shut up," says Tenisha, "and then she put her hand over my mouth... "
Shakira asked if alternative medication to morphine was possible after her C-section.
"The nurse got angry," she says. "She threw the morphine away, and I was then left alone for hours."
And when Kadi was recovering from a fourth-degree vaginal tear, she lay alone in her hospital bed crying her eyes out.
Stories from three separate women who were cared for in three different hospitals, but they all shared a similar experience - their pain was ignored, their concerns were dismissed, and they believe their race played a part in the treatment they received.
The government says tackling disparities in maternity care is a priority, calling the fact that black women are twice as likely to die during childbirth an "absolute outrage".
But behind the statistics are real women, living with the consequences.
"I haven't felt supported, I haven't felt safe, I haven't felt like my pain was taken seriously," says Tenisha Howell, 33, who has five children.
"I have a lot of experiences that I can draw from, and it's sad to say that a lot of them have been quite negative," she says.
Tenisha says her most recent birth was "probably one of the most traumatic experiences" she has ever had.
She was screaming in agonising pain as the gas and air she was given was beginning to wear off. The response from her midwife?
"She told me to shut up multiple times and then she put her hand over my mouth to basically say, 'be quiet'," Tenisha explains.
Dr Michelle Peter, co-author of the Five X More Black Maternity Experiences Report, says: "This kind of dismissal of black women's pain and refusal to provide adequate pain relief when it's requested is a common experience amongst the black women who have shared their experiences with us."
The Black maternal experiences report gathered responses from 1,164 black and mixed-heritage women across the UK who had been pregnant between July 2021 and March 2025.
Of these women, 54% said they experienced challenges with healthcare professionals, while almost a quarter reported not receiving pain relief when it was requested.
"This is kind of linked to historical, but also ongoing, racialised assumptions about black people's tolerance to pain, their vulnerability or their strengths," says Dr Peter.
"It was a horrifying experience, to be in so much pain, to be asking for help and nobody listening to you."
Read full story
Source: Sky News, 16 February 2026
Further reading on the hub:
Five X More campaign: Improving maternal mortality rates and health outcomes for black women
Patient Safety Learning

More than 60 children infected in ‘fast-spreading’ London measles outbreak

Measles infections have been confirmed across at least seven schools in north London as the NHS has warned parents to immunise their children.
Cases were confirmed across several schools in Enfield and Haringey, according to a warning issued by Evergreen GP Surgery in Edmonton, who said that the infection was spreading.
More than 60 measles cases were reported in London since January, and labs have confirmed 34 cases of measles in Enfield since 12 January, with one in five of these children being admitted to hospital with the infection.
“There is no treatment for measles, only the vaccination to prevent catching it, which is part of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) injection,” the surgery said on the website.
“Parents should ensure that their children are up-to-date with all their immunisations. This can be done by checking the child’s immunisations ‘red book’ or contacting the practice nurse here at the GP practice.”
The MMR vaccine has been updated to also protect against chicken pox.
The outbreak comes after recent UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures showed that not a single childhood vaccine in England last year met the target needed to ensure diseases cannot spread among youngsters.
Read full story
Source: The Independent, 15 February 2026
Sam

Long A&E waits worst on record

Long A&E waits last month hit their highest level since public records began, as NHS England warns it’s battling its “busiest winter on record”.
There were 192,168 accident and emergency department attendees who waited more than 12 hours from time of arrival, around 13 per cent of all attendances. Both the number and proportion of 12-hour waits were the highest recorded since NHSE began routinely publishing this data in February 2023.
Read full article (paywalled).
Source: Health Service Journal, 12 February 2026
Mark Hughes

Criminals exploit ‘stigma and embarrassment’ to sell fake erectile dysfunction drugs

Men have been warned against buying illegal erectile dysfunction pills online after nearly 20m pills – enough to fill two doubledecker buses – were seized in the last five years.
The “stigma and embarrassment” of erectile dysfunction is being “exploited by criminals”, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Between 2021 and 2025, the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit, working closely with Border Force to intercept shipments, seized about 19.5m doses of erectile dysfunction medicines, equivalent to a single dose for three in every four adult men in the UK. Many of the pills seized contained no active ingredient, the wrong dose, hidden drugs or toxic ingredients, the MHRA said.
Read full article.
Source: The Guardian, 13 February 2026
Mark Hughes

There will be over 150,000 new colorectal cancer diagnoses this year - and it’s impacting more young people

There will be over 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2026, while more young people are being impacted by the disease each year, experts have warned.
“Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults for reasons we don’t yet fully understand, but the main reason it has become the leading cause of cancer death for Americans under 50 is more related to delayed diagnosis,” said Dr. Sheetal Kircher, associate professor of hematology and oncology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a Northwestern Medicine oncologist.
The untimely passing of 48-year-old Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek, who died Wednesday following a diagnosis of stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023, has spotlighted the devastating illness, particularly in Americans under 50.
Read full article.
Source: The Independent, 12 February 2026
Mark Hughes

No neighbourhood provider contracts for another year

None of the neighbourhood contracts proposed in the 10-Year Health Plan will go live until at least April 2027, HSJ understands.
A “model neighbourhood” document is still due to be published this month, asking local organisations to continue the planning and development of neighbourhood health. However, anticipated details of the new contracts will not be published until at least the summer.
Officials have now decided they need to hold a public consultation on the purpose of single neighbourhood provider (SNP) and multiple neighbourhood provider (MNP) contracts. After that has taken place, findings will feed into development of future annual GP contracts and NHS standard contract. The very earliest they could be implemented is 2027-28.
No firm timeline had been promised before, but many of those involved had expected quicker progress, and the 10-Year Health Plan said: “We will introduce two new contracts, with rollout beginning next year.” Earlier draft proposals had suggested SNPs may go live from April this year, HSJ understands.
The publication of the model neighbourhood, and details of how SNPs, MNPs and integrated health organisations will work together, have been subject to several months of delays as government struggled to agree the details.
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 12 February 2026
Patient Safety Learning

UK law firms consider action on behalf of women who developed brain tumours after using contraceptive

UK law firms are considering legal action on behalf of women who developed brain tumours after using the contraceptive injection Depo-Provera.
Depo-Provera is a high-dose synthetic progesterone, prescribed for contraception and other menstrual symptoms, administered via injection every three months. According to UN calculations, 74 million women worldwide and 3.1% of UK women aged 15-49 use injectable contraception.
Multiple studies have shown that women who take Depo-Provera have a much higher relative risk of developing meningiomas, though the overall risk remains low. Not normally cancerous, these benign tumours can cause seizures, blindness, hearing loss, headaches and memory problems.
Now several law firms are hoping to take legal action against Pfizer in the UK. Austen Hays told the Guardian it had some potential clients, Fletchers’ website is actively seeking clients and Leigh Day said it is in the early stages of considering the legal basis for any case.
Chaya Hanoomanjee, a partner at Austen Hays, said: “We have been approached by at least 30 women who have developed meningiomas following prolonged use of Depo-Provera.
“Their lives have been considerably impacted due to having brain tumours, with consequences such as loss of vision and, in one case, a woman having to terminate her pregnancy. The duty here lies with Pfizer to ensure a drug is safe and to update warnings and contraindications as soon as new risks become known.
“We are looking into the legal merits of each case, with a view to bringing a claim in the UK.”
Read full story
Source: The Guardian, 11 February 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Medical neglect contributed to mother's death, inquest finds

A family say their mother was let down in the worst possible way when she died after being sent home from hospital with a blood clot on her lungs.
Sue Howell, from Bilston, died from a pulmonary embolism, a clot in the blood vessel connecting the heart with the lungs.
An inquest heard test results were available which would have alerted medical staff, but they were not acted upon.
The Black Country assistant coroner Helena Gallagher gave a narrative conclusion, noting the 73-year-old's death was contributed to by neglect in the medical treatment she received at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.
In evidence, a doctor told the inquest she did not know the D-Dimer test had been requested and it was not in the patient's notes, despite the result being available several hours before the mother was sent home.
In a statement, the hospital apologised for "not providing the standard of care we strive for" and said an investigation since the patient's death had led to "several actions".
Related reading on the hub:
Jenny, and why we must learn from her misdiagnosis of pulmonary embolism Patient Safety Spotlight Interview with Beverley Hunt, Professor of Thrombosis and Haemostasis and founder of Thrombosis UK Pulmonary embolism misdiagnosis – a systemic problem  
Patient Safety Learning

A&E patients left in the dark and on broken beds for 24 hours – NHS corridor care laid bare in damning new report

A person died while waiting on a trolley in a hospital corridor, while diabetic patients were left for hours without food, a damning review into NHS corridor care has revealed.
Other sick patients were left on broken beds in pitch-black corridors for 24 hours with no privacy, according to a review of patient care in emergency departments in December by the group Healthwatch England.
They made up just some of the more than 2.3 million A&E visits, with about 400,000 people admitted to hospital, in December, when 19,000 resident doctors went on strike for five days, putting hospitals under even greater pressure than usual.
One in four people (137,763) in December waited for more than four hours between admission and staff finding them a bed, while one in 10 (50,775) waited more than 12 hours. That’s almost 50,000 more patients than the NHS target for a maximum of 22% of people waiting over four hours.
Among those who said they had waited – on chairs, trolleys, or even the floor in non-clinical areas when no beds were available – was a patient from Essex with a chronic lung condition. They said they had a 24-hour wait in A&E for a bed on a ward, but were given a “broken bed in a pitch-black corridor”.
Another patient, in a wheelchair with osteoporosis, said they had “no buzzer” and discharged themselves at 5am following the “traumatising” experience.
An elderly patient, from Havering, told Healthwatch that the person next to them died while they were waiting for 40 hours on a trolley in a corridor, adding that they had “no dignity” and found it “very scary”.
Read full story
Source: The Independent, 11 February 2026
Related reading on the hub:
Corridor care and patient safety Corridor care guidance needs to move beyond what “should” happen and grapple honestly with why it isn’t (a blog by Claire Cox) The crisis of corridor care in the NHS: patient safety concerns and incident reporting
Patient Safety Learning

Millions of children with rare diseases set to benefit from faster diagnosis and better treatments

A new initiative promises faster diagnoses and improved treatments for children living with rare diseases across the UK.
The KidsRare platform will provide researchers with access to data from various hospitals on young patients with rare conditions.
It is being developed by Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) and LifeArc, in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital Alliance (CHA).
Organising this information is hoped to lead to more breakthroughs in diagnosing and treating rare conditions, which are estimated to affect over three million people nationwide.
Dr Sam Barrell, chief executive of LifeArc, said: “Thousands of children are diagnosed every year with a rare disease, and the vast majority currently have little hope of a treatment, let alone a cure.
“Key to changing this stark reality is harnessing the comprehensive data we have in our amazing NHS hospitals to turbocharge research and position the UK as a global leader in rare disease research and care.
“We need to act today to transform the system for the millions of people living with a rare disease.”
Read full story
Source: The Independent, 12 February 2026
Patient Safety Learning
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