Reducing medicines-related harm requires a clear understanding of where and when errors occur. This visual summary shows the latest estimates in England per year.
Source: Policy Research Unit in Economic Evaluation of Health & Care Interventions. February 2018
Estimated number of medication errors per year in England broken down by care setting and stage of medicines use. Minor: Error with little or no potential to cause harm. Moderate: Error with potential to cause moderate arm; Severe: Error with potential to cause severe harm.
Source: Data obtained via a FOI request submitted by The Pharmaceutical Journal to NHS Improvement
Around 204,000 medicines-related incidents were reported to England’s National Reporting and Learning System during 2017–2018
Source: Policy Research Unit in Economic Evaluation of Health & Care Interventions. February 2018
Estimated number of deaths and costs to the NHS of definitely avoidable adverse drug reactions, which were assumed to be a proxy for medication errors
Source: DHSC.‘The report of the short life working group on reducing medication-related harm’. February 2018
Several strategies can be employed to reduce medicines-related harm
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