Bodies reveal 83,500 incidents in healthcare settings

ALMOST 83,500 incidents of harm or near-misses were reported in the health service last year, at a time when almost six million engagements took place between medical staff and patients.

Figures disclosed by the HSE and State Claims Agency yesterday show that slips, trips and falls, at 26,288, were the most common incident to occur in a healthcare setting.

Medication errors, at 6,882, account for 8% of the 83,483 incidents reported, while reports of violence and aggression at 12% (9,690) were higher in community settings, where staff say they are dealing with challenging behaviour.