Deaths after surgery higher than in UK

The chances of Irish hospital patients dying after surgery are 2.6 times higher here than in the UK, said Dr Áine Carroll, the HSE’s national director for clinical strategy and programmes. She said data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed healthcare errors seriously harmed one in 10 patients, but that only 3 per cent of doctors believed that medical errors were a principal health concern. These figures highlighted both the need for, and the challenge of, change in Ireland’s health services, Dr Carroll said, adding that the healthcare sector needed to learn from the very high safety levels of the aviation and nuclear industries. (Times) >