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Hospitals warned over wristbands | Hospitals warned over wristbands |
(1 day later) | |
Hospitals are being told to standardise wristbands to cut out errors in care. | Hospitals are being told to standardise wristbands to cut out errors in care. |
The National Patient Safety Agency has ordered NHS trusts to use white tags with black text giving details such as name, date of birth and NHS number. | The National Patient Safety Agency has ordered NHS trusts to use white tags with black text giving details such as name, date of birth and NHS number. |
It has given trusts in England and Wales until next July to implement the rules, the Nursing Standard reported. | It has given trusts in England and Wales until next July to implement the rules, the Nursing Standard reported. |
The watchdog estimates 2,900 patients a year are given the incorrect care because of confusion over bands, which can differ in colour and content. | The watchdog estimates 2,900 patients a year are given the incorrect care because of confusion over bands, which can differ in colour and content. |
Some hospitals even use handwritten tags. | Some hospitals even use handwritten tags. |
The issue is part of a wider problem of treatment errors in the NHS: More than 24,000 hospital patients were reportedly given the wrong treatmentlast year in England and Wales. | |
This is great news for patients. It is worrying so many mistakes are made and hopefully this will go someway to stopping this Michael Summers, of the Patients Association | This is great news for patients. It is worrying so many mistakes are made and hopefully this will go someway to stopping this Michael Summers, of the Patients Association |
The watchdog was concerned that health staff were becoming confused by the different procedures when they moved jobs or worked in different trusts. | The watchdog was concerned that health staff were becoming confused by the different procedures when they moved jobs or worked in different trusts. |
It has received reports of patients being placed in the wrong wards and given the wrong medication and blood. Some of these mistakes could have been lethal, the watchdog admitted. | It has received reports of patients being placed in the wrong wards and given the wrong medication and blood. Some of these mistakes could have been lethal, the watchdog admitted. |
Helen Glenister, deputy chief executive at the NPSA, said: "This will help frontline staff, who work in different NHS hospitals across England and Wales to make patient care safer. | Helen Glenister, deputy chief executive at the NPSA, said: "This will help frontline staff, who work in different NHS hospitals across England and Wales to make patient care safer. |
"Wristbands are an important safety check in patient identification but do not take away the need for clinicians to check identification directly with patients. | "Wristbands are an important safety check in patient identification but do not take away the need for clinicians to check identification directly with patients. |
"In cases where patients are unable to provide their own details because they are critically ill, unconscious, confused or cannot communicate, wristbands provide a vital backup." | "In cases where patients are unable to provide their own details because they are critically ill, unconscious, confused or cannot communicate, wristbands provide a vital backup." |
The rules say that the bands must only include the patients' name - but with the surname first - date of birth and NHS number. | The rules say that the bands must only include the patients' name - but with the surname first - date of birth and NHS number. |
Risks | Risks |
Wristbands must be white with black text - printed where possible - and in Wales it should include the patients' first line of their address, which is a requirement of the Welsh government. | Wristbands must be white with black text - printed where possible - and in Wales it should include the patients' first line of their address, which is a requirement of the Welsh government. |
Patients with known risks, such as allergies, or patients who do not wish to receive blood products, should be given a red wristband with text in black. | Patients with known risks, such as allergies, or patients who do not wish to receive blood products, should be given a red wristband with text in black. |
The watchdog also issued guidance calling on hospitals to put protocols in place to ensure wristbands are always put on patients and safeguards are in place if they are lost. | The watchdog also issued guidance calling on hospitals to put protocols in place to ensure wristbands are always put on patients and safeguards are in place if they are lost. |
Mike Hayward, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "This guidance is long overdue. It will refocus the minds of nurses on making sure that the right patient gets the right treatment." | Mike Hayward, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "This guidance is long overdue. It will refocus the minds of nurses on making sure that the right patient gets the right treatment." |
He said the move was especially important for agency and bank staff who work in one or more hospitals." | He said the move was especially important for agency and bank staff who work in one or more hospitals." |
Michael Summers, of the Patients Association, added: "This is great news for patients. It is worrying so many mistakes are made and hopefully this will go some way to stopping this." | Michael Summers, of the Patients Association, added: "This is great news for patients. It is worrying so many mistakes are made and hopefully this will go some way to stopping this." |
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