NHS statistics have revealed an alarming number of deaths within the last two years relating to faulty NHS medical equipment and/or human error when using medical equipment.

The Learn from Patient Safety Events (LFPSE) service is a national NHS system for the recording and analysis of patient safety events. It is used across the NHS and records patient safety events, whether or not they result in harm.

Following a Freedom of Information Act request to NHS England by the Daily Mail, it was confirmed that 312 deaths were reported to the LFPSE over a two-year period between 2024 – 2026 which related to medical equipment. This included the following:

• A defibrillator battery being flat, meaning that an ambulance crew was unable to restart a patient’s heart.
• A defibrillator having stopped working in the rain during a resuscitation attempt and vital parts of the machine being found to be missing.
• A patient suffering cardiac arrest due to lack of oxygen during surgery as a consequence of the valve being shut on an oxygen mask.
• An emergency bleep system failure for an entire morning resulting in no crash calls reaching the critical care team.
• A patient being found dead in an A&E chair after their oxygen cylinder was not switched back on after being replaced.

NHS resolution, the legal representative for the NHS, have paid out for settlements in 5 cases in the last two years where faulty equipment led to a patient’s death. The compensation totalling £254,500.00, according to the Daily Mail.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regularly Agency who regulates medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusions in the UK were quoted as saying ‘It’s vital that staff receive the proper training on the use of medical equipment, and that there is appropriate equipment monitoring and maintenance”.

If you or a member of your family have lost a loved on due to an incident involving faulty NHS equipment or error in using NHS equipment, our Clinical negligence team can discuss how we may be able to help. Please contact us on 01482 323697 for a confidential, no obligation conversation.