The report shows category-one events have been increasing since 2003-04. Source: Supplied
A pair of scissors that were left inside of a patient after surgery. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
ALMOST 300 people died or suffered injuries as a result of serious mistakes in WA hospitals last year, a new report shows.
The Health Department report found 107 people died and another 202 were injured as a result of severe hospital errors in 2012-13 – an increase of 77 per cent on the previous year.
"Moderate harm" caused by healthcare, rather than the patient's underlying medical condition, was also reported 6693 times, along with 9231 incidents causing minimal or no harm.
Among the more serious incidents were surgical instruments or other material being left inside patients on three occasions – including a "surgical pack retained following abdominal surgery" and medical swabs.
Surgery complications (23), misdiagnosis (23), medication errors (13) and patient falls (77) were among the most common causes of the 309 category-one events.
Another 84 of these incidents involved mental health patients – 47 of which resulted in "unexpected death" and 27 in absconding. Two patients were rendered unconscious while being restrained.
A WA Health spokesman said 33 of the 309 serious or "Severity Assessment Code 1" incidents had been declassified since the report was issued – meaning it had been determined that the hospital wasn't at fault.
MISTAKES THROUGH THE YEARS
Category 1 events where a patient suffers serious harm, injury or death
- 2003/04 — 22
- 2004/05 — 42
- 2005/06 — 44
- 2006/07 — 47
- 2007/08 — 82
- 2008/09 — 81
- 2009/10 — 45
- 2010/11 — 90
- 2011/12 — 174
- 2012/13 — 309
But he was unable to tell The Sunday Times exactly how many, if any, patient deaths had been declassified.
The report said 107 deaths were caused by SAC 1 events in 2012-13, which equated to a rate of 1.6 deaths per 10,000 admissions – up from 0.92 in 2011-12.
Ten of the deaths were the suicide of a mental health inpatient and three were caused by medication errors.
The report shows category-one events have been increasing since 2003-04 when there were 22 events, but said data prior to 2011-12 was not comparable because reporting standards had changed.
Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said such a dramatic increase in category-one events could not be explained by better reporting standards.
"Some of the mistakes detailed in the report were basic and entirely avoidable and, if staff weren't under such pressure from a lack of resources and high demand, would probably not have occurred as frequently," he said.
"Every single patient should expect to come out of hospital in better shape than when they went in, not worse."
Health Consumers' Council executive director Frank Prokop said he was concerned with the high number of category-two incidents – which could easily be avoided.
The report showed poor or aggressive behaviour of patients was a common contributor to both SAC 1 and SAC 2 events.
The WA Health spokesman said the report helped hospitals learn from adverse events and improve patient safety. Every clinical incident was investigated to identify improvements.
NEARLY two years after his wife's death, Eddy Saulys is still searching for answers.
The Northam grandfather lost his beloved wife Janice after she fell into a coma in hospital in 2012.
Mr Saulys said his wife's treatment at Northam District Hospital was "disgraceful". Picture Theo Fakos Source: News Limited
Her death has been referred to the State Corner but a spokeswoman for the coroner told The Sunday Times this week an inquest date was yet to be set.
One of five unexpected deaths out of Northam Hospital since 2010, Mrs Sauly's passing has already been the subject of an inquiry by the WA Health chief medical officer Gary Geelhoed and the Medical Board of Australia.
Prof. Geelhoed's review found there was a lack of medical leadership and poor communication in the hospital's emergency department.
The Medical Review Board said it had taken "appropriate action" against a doctor but would not tell Mr Saulys what that was.
Mrs Saulys, 69, was taken to the hospital on June 18 with a broken arm and was sent home with pain medication and a temporary cast on her arm after an x-ray.
Her condition deteriorated and she was readmitted to hospital the next day. Her symptoms included vomiting, renal failure alert and abnormal blood test results.
The following day she was again discharged only to be readmitted again on June 28 when tests revealed she had kidney failure.
She was transferred to Hollywood Private Hospital in Perth and fell into a coma on June 30. Her family elected to switch off her life support system on July 8.
Mr Saulys said his wife's treatment at Northam District Hospital was "disgraceful" and he wouldn't rest until he knew what had really happened to his wife.
He claims on one occasion she was left sitting in a wheelchair in a corridor for eight hours before being admitted.
"I just hope it doesn't ever happen to anyone else. It's just terrible heartache," he said.
"I just want closure. My daughters and I, we just want this to end and for somebody to stand up and say this is how it happened, it shouldn't have happened."
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● Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800
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