84,000 reported incidents and accidents in hospitals last year

SLIPS, trips and falls made up a third of the reported 84,000 incidents and accidents in hospitals last year, with medical negligence claims costing the taxpayer tens of millions of euro in compensation.

According to figures from the State Claims Agency, 27,607 incidents involving some kind of trip or fall were reported, including 4,700 reports of patients falling out of bed and 149 from trolleys.

There were 9,445 reported incidents of violence, harassment or aggression, of which 4,594 related to physical assault. These figures also included 50 reported cases of sexual harassment and 12 of racial abuse.