Putting Patient Safety at the Heart of Healthcare
When we receive medical treatment, we expect to be cared for safely and appropriately. In most cases, patients receive a high standard of care. However, mistakes can happen, and when something goes wrong, it can sometimes have serious and lasting consequences for patients and their families.
A delayed diagnosis, medication error, missed test result or failure to provide appropriate follow-up care can leave people questioning what happened, whether it could have been prevented and what they should do next.
World Patient Safety Day which takes place on 17 September is an international awareness day dedicated to improving patient safety and reducing avoidable harm in healthcare. It highlights the importance of safe, effective care and encourages healthcare professionals, organisations, and patients to work together to prevent errors and improve outcomes.
What Does Patient Safety Mean in Practice? Every day, healthcare professionals provide vital care to millions of people. While most patients receive safe and effective treatment, avoidable harm can sometimes occur due to communication failures, medication errors, delayed diagnoses, or system failures.
Patient safety is about ensuring that patients receive the right care, at the right time, and in the safest possible way.
For patients and their families, concerns about safety will not always involve an obvious or immediate medical mistake. Sometimes a problem only becomes apparent later, for example when symptoms have not been investigated, test results have not been acted upon or a condition has worsened despite repeated requests for help.
Common Patient Safety Issues
Examples of patient safety concerns can include:
- Delayed or missed diagnoses
- Medication errors
- Surgical mistakes
- Communication breakdowns between healthcare teams
- Failures in monitoring or follow-up care
- Errors in test results or referrals
Recognising and learning from these incidents is essential to improving healthcare services and preventing future harm.
What Can Patients Do If They Are Concerned About Their Care? Patients also play an important role in their own healthcare. Asking questions, understanding treatment options, and raising concerns can help improve communication and support safer care.
Simple steps include:
- Keeping track of appointments and test results
- Asking for clarification if something is unclear
- Informing healthcare professionals of any changes in symptoms
- Making sure medications and treatment plans are understood
Working in partnership with healthcare providers can help reduce the risk of errors and improve patient outcomes.
However, patients should not feel that responsibility for preventing medical errors rests with them. Healthcare organisations and professionals have systems, procedures and professional responsibilities designed to protect patients and deliver an appropriate standard of care.
Why Speaking Up Matters
If something does not feel right, raising a concern can be important.
This might mean asking a healthcare professional to explain why a particular decision has been made, seeking clarification about test results or requesting further advice when symptoms persist or worsen.
For some patients, concerns only arise after their treatment has ended. They may have received a new diagnosis, required additional treatment or discovered that an earlier opportunity to diagnose or treat their condition may have been missed.
In those circumstances, obtaining further information about what happened can be an important first step.
Learning From Patient Safety Incidents Improving patient safety benefits everyone. By encouraging a culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement, healthcare organisations can reduce avoidable harm and deliver better care for patients and families.
Where incidents occur, identifying why something went wrong can lead to changes in procedures, staff training, communication, monitoring or wider systems of care.
World Patient Safety Day serves as a reminder that safety should be at the centre of every healthcare decision and that patients should feel able to ask questions and raise concerns about the care they receive.
When Does a Patient Safety Issue Become Medical Negligence?
Not every complication, poor outcome or medical error will amount to medical negligence.
Generally, for a medical negligence claim to succeed, it must be shown that the care provided fell below the standard reasonably expected of a competent healthcare professional and that this caused, or materially contributed to, avoidable injury or harm.
For example, concerns might arise following a delayed diagnosis, an error during surgery, inappropriate medication, a failure to act on test results or inadequate monitoring or follow-up care.
Each case is different, and establishing whether treatment was negligent will usually involve reviewing the medical records and obtaining independent expert medical evidence.
What Can Compensation Help With?
Where medical negligence has caused significant harm, the effects can extend far beyond the original medical mistake.
A patient may require further treatment, rehabilitation or care. They may be unable to work, need help with everyday activities or face additional expenses as a result of their injuries. There can also be a significant emotional impact on both patients and their families.
Compensation cannot undo what has happened, but it can help provide financial support for the consequences of negligent treatment. Depending on the individual circumstances, this may include the cost of:
- Further treatment and rehabilitation
- Care and assistance
- Specialist therapies
- Mobility aids or equipment
- Adaptations to the home
- Loss of earnings and future financial losses
- Other expenses associated with the injury
For some people, investigating a potential medical negligence claim can also help them understand what happened and obtain answers about the care they received.
Speak to the Experts at Bridge McFarland
If you believe that substandard medical care may have contributed to an avoidable injury or illness, seeking specialist legal advice can help you understand whether the treatment you received met the appropriate standard of care.
At Bridge McFarland, our specialist Medical Negligence solicitors support individuals and families who have been affected by avoidable harm following medical treatment.
We understand that people often contact us at a difficult and uncertain time. Our team will listen to what happened, help you understand your options and, where appropriate, investigate whether you may have grounds to bring a medical negligence claim.
If a claim can be pursued, we can guide you through the process and work to secure compensation that reflects both the harm you have experienced and the support you may need in the future.
If you have concerns about medical treatment you or a loved one received, our experienced solicitors in our Medical Negligence department would be happy to discuss your concerns in a free, no-obligation consultation.
You can contact us on 0800 987 8800 or email enquiries@bmcf.co.uk.
