THERE may be up to 8,000 deaths every year as a result of medical negligence and medical accidents in Irish hospitals, a major conference on clinical and medical negligence heard yesterday.

MORE than €60 million will be paid out to patients who have suffered from serious medical errors in the health service this year – a massive rise which almost equals the total figure over the last five years.

HEALTH chiefs are examining the case for setting up a Patient Safety Agency in the wake of findings that hospital mishaps affect over 1,000 patients weekly.