Almost 6,000 people harmed by prescription errors in NHS last year

Figures from NHS England also show 29 people were killed by prescription errors in 2021

A pregnant woman who died after being given the wrong dosage of drugs was one of almost 6,000 people harmed and 29 killed following prescription errors in the NHS in England last year.

Figures from NHS England show that 98 hospital trusts experienced an increase in the number of prescription errors reported in 2021, including cases where patients were given the wrong drug, wrong dosage or were not given medicine when needed. Meanwhile, the number of errors fell at 105 trusts.