Patient study reveals dangerous hospital practices

MORE than one-in-10 patients are given medication without being asked who they are and almost 4% are operated on without having their identity confirmed.

In addition, nearly half of patients are given no details about the side-effects of medication prescribed during hospital stays.

The revelations are contained in the largest-ever patient survey, based on the experiences of almost 5,000 patients in 26 hospitals in 2004.