Midland health bosses have vowed there will be “zero tolerance for error” after figures released by the Conservatives revealed reports of poor nutrition in hospitals more than doubled since 2005.
The number of errors reported in NHS hospitals between 2005 and 2007 jumped by 88 per cent up from 15,473 to 29,138 across England
But the increase across the West Midlands strategic health authority (SHA) rose by 178 per cent during the same period, from 708 in 2005 to 1,969 last year – the second highest in the country.
Such errors are reported by NHS staff to the National Patient Safety Agency, and a poll conducted by the Royal College of Nursing last year found patients are at risk of malnutrition because there are not enough nurses to ensure they are properly fed.
Almost half of its members (46 per cent) said there was a lack of staff to help patients who need assistance with eating and drinking, while 42 per cent admitted they did not have time to do so.
Peter Blythin, director of nursing and workforce for NHS West Midlands, said: “Work is taking place across the region to address variations, and improve the quality and safety of services such as improving data on incidents, introducing measures of quality and develop a culture of safety across the whole region so that there is zero tolerance for error”.
A Help The Aged report found 60 per cent of older patients – who occupy two-thirds of general hospital beds – were at risk of becoming malnourished, with those aged over 80 facing a five-times higher risk than the over 50s.
Shadow Health Minister Stephen O’Brien said: “This is a further disgraceful statistic from a Government which has failed patients and the public.
“People go to hospital expecting to get better yet in 2007, 29,000 people suffered unnecessary and completely avoidable harm from poor nutritional care.”
