PUBLIC HOSPITAL NEGLIGENCE IN AUSTRALIA

Doctors have admitted operating on the wrong people or removing incorrect body parts, a report into NSW public hospitals released today reveals. More than a dozen patients had operations not meant for them or had the wrong body part worked on, while another 22 were seriously injured in falls in wards and bathrooms.

Health Minister Morris Iemma today releases the first Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Program Report, recording all serious incidents in public hospitals with a Severity Assessment Code of 1 (SAC 1). The report - obtained by The Daily Telegraph - reveals there were 452 SAC 1 incidents May 2003 to May 2004, including incorrect operations on 13 patients. These included one patient having the left eye operated on instead of the right, and an incorrect procedure carried out due to a patient mix-up. More than 40 patients were either seriously injured by faulty building fixtures, sexually assaulted while in hospital, or had instruments/materials left in them.

The State Government set up the Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Program last year with an "open disclosure" policy to encourage doctors and nurses to report incidents involving patient care. "The Government's aim is to make our hospitals safer," Mr Iemma yesterday told The Daily Telegraph. "To achieve this, we must have quality information on what is going wrong and why."

The report found four patients committed suicide in hospital, while medical staff were aware of another 128 people who had sought treatment before suiciding.

Poor communication between staff and patients led to 157 patients being seriously injured - including pulmonary embolisms, chest infections, and skin lesions due to prolonged bed rest. Another 11 patients were injured as a result of errors or failure in medical devices.

More here

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For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL hospitals and health insurance schemes should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the very poor and minimal regulation.

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