Risks to patients in primary care need to be scrutinised

The extent of the risk to patient safety in primary care is unknown and badly in need of more scrutiny, MPs have heard.

Although patient safety has been on the hospital agenda for several years it is not clear to what extent it is embedded in NHS primary care services, expert witnesses told MPs on the parliamentary health select committee as part of its inquiry into patient safety.

Aneez Esmail, professor of general practice at the University of Manchester, who has led research in this area, gave evidence to the committee, which asked him about safety culture in the NHS.

“In terms of patient …