BMJ  2003;326:1053 (17 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7398.1053

News

UK agency unveils plans to cut infusion device errors

Caroline White

London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The body charged with improving patient safety in the NHS, the National Patient Safety Agency, has unveiled plans to cut the number of mistakes associated with the use of infusion devices.

Professor Liam Donaldson: infusion pump incidents had emerged as a "clear cut problem"

ANTHONY UPTON

Last year 161 such incidents were reported to the agency from 18 trusts during a nine month trial audit of errors and near misses in the NHS. Data from the former Medical Devices Agency show that over half the 700 infusion incidents reported to it involved drips that were not faulty.

Rapid advances in technology and an explosion in the variety and complexity of infusion devices have also made it increasingly difficult for staff to keep up to date and for the devices to be stored and maintained correctly.

The plans, which will be trialled in six NHS trusts throughout this year, include


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