Cases of wrong-site surgery in England have risen from 69 in 2020 to 101 last year, with 7% involving serious harm to patients.
Between 2020 and last year, 661 cases of surgery performed on the wrong patient or body part were reported in English hospitals, according to new data from Medical Negligence Assist.
The phenomenon, known as wrong-site surgery, is a medical error where an invasive procedure is performed on the wrong patient, the wrong body part or the wrong site on the body – such as operating on the left limb instead of the right. Many of these incidents are classified as “never events” by the NHS, meaning they are considered entirely preventable.
Obtained via Freedom of Information requests, 117 NHS Trusts were contacted. Of the 72 that responded, 661 cases were reported in total over the…