Story Highlight
– UK ranks 21st in global patient safety, lagging behind.
– Norway tops the safety rankings; US ranks 34th.
– Thousands of UK deaths could be avoided with improvements.
– Long waits for treatment significantly impact patient outcomes.
– UK’s neonatal mortality rates remain above OECD average.
Full Story
The latest findings from a significant report have illustrated a troubling picture of patient safety in the United Kingdom, indicating that the nation is falling short in comparison to several countries, including Norway, Switzerland, Spain, and Estonia. The report, released by Imperial College London, ranks the UK 21st out of 38 developed nations in its second Global State of Patient Safety Report, highlighting deficiencies that have raised serious concerns among healthcare professionals and policymakers.
Norway secured the top position in the report’s rankings, followed by the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and Ireland. The UK’s placement is particularly concerning when juxtaposed with other nations, such as France at 29th, Greece at 31st, and the United States, which fell to 34th place. These rankings are based on a variety of key performance indicators, including fatal outcomes from treatable conditions like sepsis and blood clots, as well as maternal and neonatal mortality associated with complications in childbirth and early infancy.
The authors of the report stress that many preventable deaths could be averted through quicker and more reliable treatment protocols. Remarkably, if the UK were to achieve the performance levels of Switzerland—deemed the country with the best outcomes for preventable deaths—it is estimated that around 22,789 lives could be saved annually. The report also uncovered that extended wait times for complex treatments significantly contribute to the UK’s poor performance in this area. For instance, the UK was found to have the longest waiting periods for heart bypass surgeries among 11 countries surveyed and faced dire outcomes relating to deep vein thrombosis incidents following hip or knee replacements.
According to the British Heart Foundation, as of the end of September 2025, nearly 400,000 patients were in waiting lists for routine cardiac procedures in England alone. Previous studies have indicated a direct correlation between prolonged waiting times and an increased likelihood of severe complications, including disability from heart failure or premature death.
The research specifically examined countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which includes many of the world’s wealthiest and most developed health systems. James Titcombe, chief executive of Patient Safety Watch and a contributor to the report, made a poignant observation. He said, “Behind every statistic in this report is a person who should still be alive and a family whose lives have been permanently changed.” Titcombe, who advocates for improved patient safety following the tragic loss of his son, Joshua, due to NHS-related failings, continued by emphasizing that the difference between the UK’s current state of patient safety and the benchmarks set by top-performing healthcare systems translates to a staggering loss of approximately 22,000 lives each year.
Titcombe’s comments reflect a broader sentiment: the consequences of avoidable failures in care extend well beyond individual patients, creating ripples of suffering across families, communities, and the healthcare workforce. He noted, “Preventable failures in care send ripples of suffering through families, communities and the NHS workforce, traumatising staff, undermining trust.” He concluded by calling for urgent action towards closing the gaps in patient safety.
Additionally, the report spotlighted issues in women’s health, positioning the UK at a disappointing ninth out of ten for waiting times related to hysterectomy procedures. Maternity care was another area of concern, particularly given that the United Kingdom has struggled with neonatal mortality rates, especially due to preterm births. Since 2003, the country has consistently underperformed against the OECD average in this realm. Although neonatal death rates in the UK have shown some decline since 2000, there has been little progress since 2017, unlike the continuous improvements seen in other OECD countries. Had the UK matched the neonatal mortality rates observed in Japan, the leading nation in this category, a potential 1,123 neonatal lives could have been spared in 2023 alone.
The report further indicated that the UK ranked last out of ten nations concerning incidences of sepsis following abdominal or pelvic surgeries. An additional examination of a broader dataset, which included figures from 205 countries, revealed that the UK was 141st concerning fatalities linked to adverse events after medical procedures. These adverse events encompass unintended injuries or complications resulting not from the patient’s pre-existing conditions but from the management of healthcare procedures.
While there has been a decrease in adverse event rates across several OECD performance indicators relevant to surgical complications since 2009, the UK experienced the highest complication rates in three critical areas for which data was accessible. Notably, the rates for pulmonary embolism after hip and knee replacements have shown an upward trend, particularly during and after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report is set to be presented by Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former Health Secretary Sir Jeremy Hunt at the House of Lords. Lord Darzi, Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London and one of the report’s authors, remarked, “This report shows where we can make rapid progress – reducing surgical complications, reducing avoidable deaths and learning systematically from the countries that lead.” He underscored the importance of improved data, stronger governance, and patient engagement as crucial elements for enhancing safety in healthcare settings.
In response to the report, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the past shortcomings within the NHS and highlighted the government’s efforts to improve patient safety. They noted initiatives such as overhauling the Care Quality Commission, introducing Martha’s Rule and Jess’s Rule for fresh clinical reviews, and implementing hospital league tables to promote improvement. Furthermore, they emphasized new maternity safety measures and the establishment of a task force aimed at restoring confidence in NHS care for expectant mothers. “We know there is much more to do but we are determined to make sure the NHS is the safest in the world,” the spokesperson asserted.
Our Thoughts
The article highlights significant shortcomings in the UK’s patient safety, ranking 21st out of 38 countries. Key safety lessons include the urgent need for improved response times and standardized protocols to reduce preventable deaths from treatable conditions. The reported high rates of surgical complications and prolonged waiting times indicate potential breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, particularly the requirement to ensure the health and safety of patients by maintaining safe systems of work.
To avoid such incidents, the NHS could implement more rigorous training and standardized practices in surgical procedures, and ensure timely access to necessary treatments, in line with the Care Quality Commission guidelines. Enhancing data management and patient feedback mechanisms could also facilitate proactive safety measures.
Prioritizing the review and adaptation of practices based on international best practices, especially in maternity and surgical care, can further prevent similar incidents. An effective health and safety governance structure is essential to mitigate these risks, reflecting the standards outlined in the Regulation 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which mandates a risk assessment approach to health and safety.
