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Slips in the Surgery: An Examination of Medical Errors

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Published
05/30/2023

The vast majority of people who undergo medical care in the UK enjoy excellent results. But medical practitioners, however competent, are only human; occasionally, they make mistakes. Unfortunately, this is a field where mistakes can be hugely consequential.

What are the most common causes of medical error in UK healthcare?

Medical errors can manifest in many forms. But in most cases, the root cause can be traced back to a handful of problems.

For the most part, medical error occurs because of systemic miscommunication. Or, to put it another way, one medical professional failed to provide the necessary information to another. If the patient is being transferred repeatedly between different facilities and different specialists, then the opportunity for this kind of error is increased. If this is you, then don’t assume that your care providers know what your situation is.

Staffing problems might also trigger a medical error. If there are two nurses on shift when there should be five, the quality of their work will inevitably suffer. This will make mistakes more common.

Much of modern medicine relies on technology. When a given device malfunctions, the result might be a lapse in care. This might be a sophisticated device, like an MRI scanner, or it might be the computer system on which patient records are kept.

How do medical errors impact patient care and trust in the healthcare system?

Medical errors don’t just harm the patients affected. They can also undermine trust in the healthcare system more broadly. Suppose that you hear that a friend of a friend has been a victim of medical negligence at your local GP practice. Would you be less inclined to visit that practice, even if you felt that something was wrong?

When medical errors become systemic, patients begin to delay seeking treatment, which will ultimately worsen outcomes and put more strain on the system in the long term. In some cases, medical negligence lawsuits might be appropriate to provide a remedy for the mistreatment.

What measures are being taken to prevent mistakes in surgery and wider medical practice in the UK?

Limiting the incidence of medical error is an ongoing process – and one that will probably go on forever. Currently, the Royal College of Surgeons of England sets out five steps for surgery. It goes from briefing, to sign-in, to timeout, to sign-out, to debriefing.

By setting out the steps in this way, we can ensure that the patient is aware of what’s about to happen to them. Any potential miscommunications therefore can be rectified before they have a chance to cause any harm. While this isn’t a magic bullet, it will reduce a great deal of avoidable harm!

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