Skip to content

News

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

'My cancer spread while I waited months for surgery': The cost of England's cancer wait times

Alan was diagnosed with lung cancer after a nodule was found in June last year.
The 70-year-old was meant to be operated on within weeks but ended up waiting nearly five months, by which time the cancer had spread, making his surgery more complex.
"I was so frustrated and angry and couldn't understand why they would leave me like that," says Alan.
On two occasions, scans were cancelled because machines had broken and for weeks he heard little or nothing from the hospital about when he would eventually have the urgent surgery.
Alan is one of thousands each month in England who are not being treated within the target timeframe.
Earlier this year, the government's National Cancer Plan, along with the NHS Planning Guidance, set out that 80% of patients in England would start treatment within 62 days from urgent GP referral by March 2027. This was to reach 85% by March 2027.
But in the months since the government announced this ambition, performance has got worse, according to NHS England data, not better.
Now, 69.9% of patients start cancer treatment within the 62 day timeframe. Previously it was 71.9%.
Prof Pat Price, a leading UK clinical academic oncologist, says the government targets "are now simply impossible to hit", after what she describes as a "complete loss of momentum".
Price attributes the current failures to a "complete lack of a plan or accountability".
Read full story
Source: BBC News, 10 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

High-risk cancers could be identified sooner after major prostate cancer study

Scientists say they have uncovered genetic "footprints" responsible for 85 per cent of prostate cancers, offering vital insights into why the disease turns fatal in some men.
Describing the findings as "hugely exciting", experts said the discovery might eventually ensure high-risk cancers are detected sooner, enabling men to receive more personalised treatment options.
For the new study, published in the journal Nature, researchers evaluated tumour tissue samples provided by 959 men.
In total, scientists identified eight distinct genetic "footprints" that explain approximately 85% of prostate cancer cases.
Crucially, four of these "integrated mutational footprints" were associated with aggressive tumours that were more prone to spreading outside of the prostate.
The new study, from the Pan Prostate Cancer Group (PPCG) – a global consortium which has now collected molecular data on more than 2,000 prostate cancers, also found other footprints were linked to age and ancestry, including patterns that were more common in black men.
The research team said the next step is to use the findings to develop and test classification systems for prostate cancer tumours using molecular information.
This could in turn help identify aggressive cancers sooner and help guide personalised treatment decisions, they added.
“Ultimately, we hope this knowledge will lead to better tests, earlier identification of high-risk cancers and more personalised care, so that more patients receive the right treatment at the right time.”
Read full story
Source: The Independent, 9 September 2026

Patient Safety Learning

UK needs new laws for AI in healthcare, says watchdog

The UK needs new regulations for AI products used in the NHS and other healthcare settings, says Britain's industry watchdog.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which regulates all medical devices and licenses treatment drugs in the UK, has published 44 recommendations to update its policies as the use of AI in the sector rises.
The technology will soon be routinely used within the NHS, MHRA chief Lawrence Tallon told the BBC.
"What I would expect is that patients will... increasingly see AI as part of the way that normal NHS healthcare is delivered," he said.
"That should happen in a way that they can maintain their trust and their confidence in what's happening."
The report was compiled by an independent commission and involved input from more than 12,000 people including patients and clinicians.
The recommendations include:
Continuously monitoring AI products and removing them from regulatory approval if they malfunction or become less effective over time
Giving patients the right to know whether AI is involved in their care, and easy access to information about the products involved
The power to penalise the developers of an AI product if it fails to meet required standards
An AI "L plate" system which would make it easier for new AI models to be trialled by healthcare professionals under close supervision
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: BBC News, 10 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Ministers to unpick Healthwatch abolition

Ministers have indicated they will amend the Health Bill in the Lords to preserve an independent local voice for patients and care users.
Speaking in the Commons last night, health minister Karin Smyth committed to “review these provisions [on the abolition of Healthwatch] and ensure that our approach sufficiently empowers and devolves to local populations”.
HSJ understands MPs have been assured there will be changes to the bill, although details have not been decided.
Rachael Maskell, the backbench Labour MP who has campaigned to retain and strengthen Healthwatch, said ministers now accepted its independent role was important and had pledged to develop the detail of their new proposals with her and other MPs.
As Greater Manchester mayor last November, Andy Burnham argued against abolishing Healthwatch, saying: “People speak to Healthwatch because they are outside the system – they are impartial, trusted, and provide a safe space for concerns to be shared.”
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 9 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

The secret to success behind the top 1% of American hospitals

For 10 of Healthgrades’ “triple crown” awardees, the source of their success is a strong culture focused on the patient-first mindset and staff empowerment.
Healthgrades recognised the 16 hospitals that earned Outstanding Patient Experience, Patient Safety Excellence, and America’s Best Hospitals distinctions for 2026 — making them “Triple Crown” awardees. The organisation evaluated 3,020 hospitals that submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys to CMS’ Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems between January and December 2024. Hospitals were evaluated on patient survey data on 10 patient experience measures. Recipients of the outstanding patient experience award earned the highest overall experience scores.
Becker’s asked leaders at these hospitals what operational or cultural factors were pivotal in becoming a Triple Crown awardee, and what results these factors have led to.
David Bernard, CEO of Houston Methodist The Woodlands (Texas), said: "Our focus on safety, quality and patient experience has led to better outcomes, safer care and a more compassionate, personalised experience for the patients and families we serve. It has also shaped a culture where safety, quality and service are inseparable, what we often refer to as our sacred ‘AND.’ We believe patients should never have to choose between exceptional clinical outcomes, a safe environment and an outstanding care experience. That commitment challenges every member of our team to work together and continuously elevate all three. The result is highly reliable, patient-centred care that improves lives, earns the trust of our patients and families and strengthens our ability to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our growing community for years to come".
Shabnam Lankarani, DO. Chief Medical Officer at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital (Fairfax, Va.) said: "Our philosophy has always been simple: do the right thing for patients and team members, and the results will follow. We have built a strong culture of safety and psychological safety, where team members are encouraged to speak up, learn from near misses and great catches, and address challenges early. Daily huddles and our 3×5 Safety Toolkit — a high reliability framework built to strengthen a culture of safety and team performance — help make those practices part of our everyday work. Just as importantly, our team members are at the center of everything we do. We invest in them, listen to them and work together across the system to continuously improve care."
Read full story
Source: Becker's Clinical Leadership, 14 August 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Unleashing Project CRASHCART

Cyber resiliency analyst Jonathon Guthrie unspools 150 feet of ethernet cable across a UC San Diego campus lawn toward undergraduate student Almog Bar-Yossef. They hook the cable up to a metal antenna that receives a satellite internet connection.
The cable extends down a staircase into the UC San Diego School of Medicine Simulation Training Center, where it will be connected to a hub that generates a private wireless 5G cellular network. Here, physicians Jeff Tully and Christian Dameff, join computer scientists, engineers and students as they unload multiple laptops, a server, patient monitors and clinical equipment from giant black hard cases. The team is preparing to run a test deployment of Project CRASHCART.
“Project CRASHCART is a hospital IT system in a box,” said Tully, a clinical associate professor of anesthesiology at the School of Medicine, who co-directs the UC San Diego Center for Healthcare Cybersecurity together with Dameff, an associate professor of emergency medicine, biomedical informatics and computer science. The mobile backup computing system — which fills most of a nine-foot cargo van — is designed to restore essential digital tools, such as patient records, communication networks and clinical workflows to a 20-bed emergency department at a small hospital in the wake of a malicious cyberattack.
“We’re seeing more and more cyberattacks on critical hospital infrastructure,” said Dameff.
As clinicians, Tully and Dameff have witnessed firsthand how cyberattacks can disrupt patient care and compromise safety.
“We take care of patients — often very sick patients — every day in the hospital, and we rely on dozens of tools and technologies connected to the internet,” said Tully. Everything, from ambulance communications systems and electronic health records (EHRs) to imaging equipment and laboratory systems, is at risk. “Ransomware and other attacks on national critical health care infrastructure are a serious patient safety problem. They can disrupt the care of patients with time-sensitive medical conditions, such as stroke, heart attack or sepsis, and lead to worse outcomes.”
That’s where Project CRASHCART comes in. It can be deployed to ensure that essential networked technologies are available during a cyberattack on a hospital, significantly reducing hospital downtime and potentially saving lives.
Read full story
Source: UC San Diego Today, 19 August 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Crisis-hit NHS trust slapped with fresh warning over patient safety

A crisis-hit NHS trust facing multiple probes over alleged harm to patients has been slapped with a fresh warning over the safety of those in its care.
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, in Greater Manchester, has been given a formal sanction by the Care Quality Commission after the NHS watchdog identified "significant concerns” with its leadership.
The warning, called a Section 29a notice, was issued on 13 August and highlighted “significant concerns about the trust’s management of risk, patient safety, complaints, freedom to speak up processes and workforce wellbeing and inclusion”.
Such notices are given when the regulator believes there is a systemic issue within the trust, which could result in harm or the risk of harm.
It comes after a series of investigations by The Independent exposing patient safety concerns and whistleblowers alleging that patients have been harmed or died due to poor care across the trust, which treats more than a million patients across Greater Manchester.
A dozen whistleblowers came forward as part of a joint investigation with Channel 4 News last month, warning that failings at the trust could become the next major health scandal, amid allegations that patient deaths and harm were being overlooked.
Read full story
Source: The Independent, 8 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

‘Landmark’ safety policy was barely tested before launch

The “Martha’s Rule for maternity services” was used just 13 times in a national pilot before being cited by government and adopted by ministers as a solution to the maternity crisis, HSJ can reveal.
The finding has prompted a health leader to warn the policy risks becoming a “sticking plaster” that distracts from “deeper consideration of issues with working culture”.
Following Donna Ockenden’s damning investigation into Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, the Department of Health and Social Care pledged to extend Martha’s Rule – which guarantees an urgent, independent review of care – into every English maternity service.
DHSC described it as a “landmark patient safety measure” that would mean “mothers and newborns across the country will be better protected”. 
However, HSJ has learned that a seven-month pilot run by NHSE to assess its effectiveness across 15 maternity units recorded just 13 calls for a review between July 2025 and February 2026.
NHS England, which ran the pilot, stressed that its objective “was not to assess whether to roll it out to maternity units, but how it could be used most effectively alongside existing safety protocols”.
However, Nuffield Trust chief executive Thea Stein told HSJ  the  FOI data “casts further doubt on how transformative this new policy can really be”. 
Read full story (paywalled)
HSJ, 9 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

A&E did not get the basics right - my son's life was ruined at 32

In May 2024, a few months after having treatment for a brain tumour, Oli Coppock went to Warrington Hospital's emergency department with bad headaches and dizziness.
He underwent tests and assessments, but did not have a brain scan, before going home. It was a decision that ultimately ruined his life at the age of 32, his family says. A week later, with fluid building up on the brain, he suffered a cardiac arrest. He did not recover and now lives in almost complete paralysis.
Oli's case is just one of a growing number of clinical negligence claims being made in England relating to A&E care. An analysis by the BBC shows there has been a 41% rise in cases over the past five years, with doctors linking it to the long delays and pressures being seen in emergency departments.
Oli's father, Stephen, says he knows A&E staff are under pressure, but he cannot understand how a brain scan was not ordered, given his son's medical history.
Stephen says the whole family has been left "angry and broken" by what happened to him.
"The hospital didn't get the basics right and my son has paid a terrible price – it's ruined his life. It was an awful error. He trusted the health service and believed it was there to help him, not destroy him."
Read full story
Source: BBC News, 8 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Call for urgent action at Welsh hospital after three-day-old baby dies

A coroner has taken the unusual step of issuing a call to take life-saving action following the death of a three-day-old baby in hospital.
Nola-Reign Morgan died at Cwmbran's Grange University Hospital in February 2024 as a result of a brain injury caused by an infection found in her mother's placenta.
At an inquest held in May this year the assistant coroner for Gwent, Martin Lanchester, found the main contributing causes of the death were likely to be the infant's mother not being immediately admitted to the labour ward of the hospital after being triaged upon arrival, and that for a period of some 88 minutes there was no foetal heartbeat monitoring while the mum was waiting for transfer to the high dependency unit.
The coroner has now issued a "Prevention of Future Deaths" report to highlight concerns which emerged during the hearing of evidence at the inquest, and to call for action to address them.
In the report the coroner says that in his opinion, unless action is taken to address the concerns he has raised "then there is a significant risk of future deaths".
Four areas of concern are highlighted:
The lack national guidance available concerning antenatal foetal monitoring, particularly in cases of suspected chorioamnionitis (the infection Nola-Reign Morgan's mother had).
A lack of any reference to suspected chorioamnionitis or continuous foetal monitoring in recent guidance provided by the local health board.
Insufficient evidence of the training in place locally following Nola-Reign’s death.
Read full story
Source: Wales Online, 6 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Mixing pills sends 1,000 elderly people a day to A&E

An over-prescribing epidemic is leading to thousands of elderly people being admitted to hospital suffering reactions to cocktails of medicines.
A Sunday Times investigation has found doctors are routinely giving out potentially harmful levels of medication to elderly patients, leading to falls, low blood pressure, dizziness and irregular heartbeats.
Almost eight million people in the UK are at risk of medical side-effects because they are being prescribed five or more drugs to take daily. About 2.2 million take ten drugs a day, a study published earlier this year reveals. 
Taking more than five medicines is defined as “polypharmacy”, as this is the point at which the risk of side-effects increases. It is particularly dangerous in patients considered to be frail and often living with mobility issues.
The Sunday Times is launching a campaign calling on the NHS and government to stop the prescription trap that is harming elderly patients. The three calls for action are:
All medical students must learn the risks of mixing medicines and receive training for how and when to de-prescribe.
The NHS should ensure that anyone over 65 who is considered frail and is taking 10 or more medications is invited for an annual review of their drug regimen.
1,850 more geriatricians must be trained by 2030 to ensure there is one doctor for every 500 patients aged 85 and over.
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: The Times, 5 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Hundreds sacked for snooping on patient records

More than 200 NHS staff have been sacked and around 2,000 others sanctioned for inappropriately viewing patient records over the past five years, HSJ can reveal.
However, concerns have been raised that these recorded cases only represent the “tip of the iceberg” of snooping. A joint investigation by HSJ and Sky News found that at least 25% of trusts had no recent or proactive audits to check for such breaches.
The investigation, which comprises data from 140 trusts, paints the first national picture of NHS staff record snooping, following revelations across multiple trusts in recent months.
The audit has exposed:
A staff member accessing their spouse’s records in a “potential domestic violence situation”.
One employee’s dismissal after they viewed up to 179 patient records without legitimate reason.
Staff sharing patient information on WhatsApp group chats.
Commons health and social care committee chair Layla Moran told HSJ the figures painted a “stark picture” and “the security of personal and medical data is sacred”.
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 7 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Hundreds of hospital's orthopaedic patients 'harmed'

Hundreds of orthopaedic patients - mostly children - suffered "harm" at an NHS hospital which is currently reviewing cases dealt with by a suspended surgeon.
Kuldeep Stohr was suspended by Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge last year, amid concerns about surgeries that were "below the expected standard".
In a now-removed report to the hospital trust's board, it stated of the 924 patients reviewed so far, 209 "experienced harm", the majority of whom were children when they had elective surgery. Forty-seven were classed as severe, with one being fatal.
Nicola Ayton, chief executive at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH), said she was "deeply sorry" to patients and families affected.
Stohr was suspended by the hospital and has not been at work since March 2024, initially for personal reasons.
In her absence, her patients were seen by other doctors who discovered a "higher than expected level of complications", according to a letter to the parents from the hospital.
An initial review in 2025, found operations involving nine children were below expected standards, including Darcey, whose parents previously told the BBC they feared problems with her hip operation were "brushed under the rug".
A new report to the CUH board last week titled "orthopaedic review programme update" was removed by the trust after the BBC contacted it for comment.
Read full story
Source: BBC News, 7 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Coroner warns of dangers of doctors having second jobs

There is a “significant risk of future deaths” among doctors who are working too much without proper checks by their employers, a coroner has warned.
The warning was issued in a recent prevention of future deaths report that focused on the death of Naeem Ahmed.
Ahmed, aged 50, was a Consultant Anaesthetist who was working at Poole Hospital, Poole at the time of his death. He began a run of 9 nights work as the anaesthetist working in the hospital overnight, and due to staff illness agreed to cover a further two night shifts. He did not attend for the handover meeting and as he had not responded to attempts to contact him, staff entered his locked room and found him collapsed and unresponsive in the room.
Ahmed was found slumped in a chair in the anaesthetists’ on-call room next to two syringes and a half empty bottle of whisky.
The report follows an inquest into Ahmed’s death in June, during which it was reported that postmortem tests had shown that he had taken fentanyl and that his alcohol level was about half the drink-drive limit.
The cause of death was combined alcohol and fentanyl toxicity, and the inquest, held in Bournemouth, ruled the death to be by “misadventure.”
Read full story (paywalled)
Source: BMJ, 4 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning

The most dangerous trends in healthcare today

Healthcare leaders continue to grapple with an expanding list of threats to the industry’s stability, from workforce shortages and reimbursement pressures to the growing role of artificial intelligence and the erosion of patient trust. Leaders from health systems across the US share with Becker's Hospital Review the trend they believe poses the greatest risk to healthcare today.
Paul Hiltz, President and CEO of Naples Comprehensive Health said: "The most dangerous trend I see is losing our experienced caregivers to burnout."
Joe Avelino, CEO of College Medical, said: " A dangerous trend I see is when leaders become too dependent on artificial intelligence. AI will undoubtedly become an increasingly important tool to help us identify patients at risk, improve access to care, streamline administrative burdens, and support better clinical decision-making. However, AI cannot replace the healing power of a compassionate physician, a reassuring nurse, a dedicated social worker, or a sitter who simply sits quietly with someone during their darkest moment. Think about this, our patients may not always remember their diagnosis or the medication we prescribed, but they will remember how we made them feel and whether they were treated with dignity, respect, and compassion. As we embrace innovation, let us ensure that AI enhances the human connection rather than replaces it."
And Erik Mikaitis, CEO of Cook County Health (Chicago) thinks one of the most dangerous trends in healthcare today is growing disengagement from care, coupled with increasing mistrust in the medical community. Patients are being asked to navigate an increasingly complex system, from insurance coverage and referrals to prior authorizations and changing eligibility rules. Recent federal policy changes are making that even more difficult for individuals who rely on coverage through insurance marketplaces or Medicaid.
Read full story
Source: Becker's Hospital Review, 27 August 2026
Patient Safety Learning

Nurse who was struck off has case overturned after ‘serious irregularities’

A nurse who was struck off from practicing after 10 years of defending herself has had her case overturned in the High Court.
In a highly critical judgement the Nursing and Midwifery Council was told there were ‘serious irregularities’ in its handling of the case.
Mildred Wylie, from Armagh, in Northern Ireland, had her name completely cleared.
But this is the latest of what has been described as a ‘string of astounding failures’ by the nursing regulator including accusations of a toxic and bullying culture.
Read full story
Source: Channel 4 News, 2 September 2026
Patient Safety Learning
Registered address: Patient Safety Learning, China Works SB203, 100 Black Prince Road Vauxhall, London, SE1 7SJ

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications
Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.