Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 648: To ask the Minister for Health the number of incidents of harm and near-misses by hospitals and community-based health care facilities reported in 2009 and 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22134/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) and the State Claims Agency (SCA) recently published details of the number of incidents of harm and near misses, which were reported by hospitals and community based health care facilities in 2010. The SCA works with the HSE to record and analyse incidents that are reported in our health care system.

The data is not available in the format requested by the Deputy. The total number of incidents reported in 2010 was 83,483 (56% in acute services and 44% in Primary, Community and Continuing Care services). The total number in incidents reported in 2009 was 83,847. The number of incidents reported is in line with international reporting. In Ireland there is now clear evidence of an enhanced culture of reporting and that the majority of serious incidents are being reported.

Slips, trips and falls are by far the most common incident that occur in a health care setting. Health care services have developed a range of policies, which are now in place right across various parts of the system, to minimise slips, trips and falls.

Medication errors account for 8% of the incidents reported. The HSE has established a Medication Safety Programme to help reduce medication errors. The programme will work to encourage health care professionals to be vigilant for allergies and to give advice on how to prevent inadvertent administration of allergenic. In 2011, the programme will also be developing a national drug administration record.

Recording this information and examining it is an essential part of developing the patient safety agenda. The information informs future planning of health services, allows analysis of trends and gives services an opportunity to consider their own record in terms of patient safety. This forms a vital part of learning where issues exist so that steps can be taken to improve services.