NHS computer problems put patients at risk of harm – BBC News

A BBC News investigation has heard allegations of a “cover-up” of major problems with the NHS IT system – which is used to manage patients’ medical records.

An IT system failure has been linked to the deaths of three patients and more than 100 cases of serious injuries at NHS England hospitals, BBC News has found.

A Freedom of Information request also found that 200,000 medical records had not been sent due to widespread problems with NHS computer systems.

About half of hospital trusts with electronic patient devices reported issues that could affect patients.

NHS England says it has invested £900m over the past two years to help develop new and improved practices.

Introducing computerized records and making the NHS paperless is a priority for the government in England. The goal is for everyone’s health information to reach doctors, hospitals and care homes at the click of a button.

But there have been many false positives. The latest deadline, set by the Department of Health and Social Care, is now 2026.

Some hospital trusts have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on new patient record (EPR) systems, but BBC News has found that many have serious problems with the way they work.

In contrast to our FOI investigation, coroners highlighted the role that hospital IT systems played in the deaths of some patients. The case of twenty-two-year-old Darnell Smith is one example.

“He was our rock, you know. He had a great personality. Words cannot describe how much he meant to us…” says Erroll Smith of his son, Darnell.

Darnell had sickle cell disease, cerebral palsy and was non-verbal. He was admitted to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, with a cold and flu-like symptoms and a reduced appetite, in November 2022.

He should have had his vital signs – heart rate, blood pressure and temperature – checked by staff every hour for at least six hours – but there were no checks more than 12.

Staff were unaware of Darnell’s special needs because his personal care plan was not readily apparent in the hospital’s computerized records, the coroner later concluded.

His father told BBC News: “For me, the IT system should be set up in a way that you have to see… you know – you don’t let it go until you read what you read. .I have to read.”

A few hours after his plan of care appeared, Darnell was admitted to intensive care and put on a ventilator the next morning. He died of pneumonia two weeks later.

After the survey, the auditor warned of a “real risk of increased mortality” if doctors were unable to access vital information about patients’ care needs.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust has apologized for the care Darnell received. They say they have made changes to reduce the chances of this happening again and a new IT system is being introduced this year.

A Freedom of Information request sent to all acute hospital members in England, of which 116 responded, found that these were not isolated incidents:

The failure of hospitals to send letters to doctors and patients can mean anything from an appointment to a cancer diagnosis or a missed medication change.

The Royal College of GPs said it was shocked and appalled by the findings.

“Now that we know there’s a problem, it’s crazy not to do something quickly to save lives and keep people safe,” said Professor Kamila Hawthorne, president of the college.

Separately, a number of doctors contacted BBC News about electronic patient record systems. None of them wanted to be named because of the fear of speaking.

Some of their concerns about computer systems include:

Professor Joe McDonald, former NHS clinical lead, says the financial costs of the procedures are huge – but there are also worrying costs for patients.

“The thing about paper is you make one mistake at a time,” he said.

“With electronic patient record systems, unfortunately it gives you the opportunity to make the same mistake thousands of times.”

Prof McDonald says that the current provision of electronic patient records in line with trusts is a “broken system” because very few are able to connect, which makes sharing information a real challenge.

He also admitted that there were references to the Horizon scandal in the post.

“There is no doubt that there is a culture of secrecy in the NHS and nowhere is it as strong as in the health IT sector,” he added.

“It is not safe. It’s definitely not safe.”

When 31-year-old Emily Harkleroad collapsed in December 2022, she was taken to A&E at University Hospital North Durham, where a blood clot in her lung, known as a pulmonary embolism, was discovered.

But there were mistakes and delays in giving Emily the blood treatment she urgently needed. He died the next morning.

A new computer system, installed a few months earlier, did not accurately identify which patients were seriously ill and needed to be prioritized by senior doctors, an inquest heard.

Nurses had previously raised concerns about the system.

The coroner has asked hospital supplier and software vendor Cerner, now owned by Oracle, to take action to prevent future deaths.

Oracle told BBC News: “We extend our condolences to the family of the deceased and others who have lost their lives.

“While there is no suggestion that the software was at fault in this case, we are continuing to work closely with our NHS partners to implement successful programs that help them deliver better care the safest and most effective for the 16 million citizens of our system support in the UK.”

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust told BBC News it was taking the coroner’s report very seriously.

Through our Freedom of Information request, the BBC also learned that more than 2,000 incidents of potential harm to patients at the Durham trust were linked to the new IT system, and three other incidents serious ones.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said the coroners’ findings into the deaths of Emily and Darnell were “shocking and deeply concerning”.

“It is important that our members and their colleagues have access to reliable technology and practical applications that they can trust, and that do not compromise patient safety,” said president Dr. Adrian Boyle.

Systems should be made with the opinion of doctors and have the ability to make quick changes if problems are found, he added.

“This is a ticking time bomb,” said Clive Flashman, of the Patient Safety Learning organisation.

“If you look at the serious issues that are emerging across the country where patients are being harmed, sometimes dying, because these systems are not working properly, I think there are dozens of “Thousands of things happen that are probably never discussed.”

NHS England said electronic patient record systems have been shown to improve patient safety and care, by helping nurses identify those at risk of conditions such as sepsis.

“The NHS has invested almost £900m over the past two years to help local authorities introduce new and improved systems, so they no longer rely on paper records or patchwork systems – which pose significant risks to safety, delays in care and patient privacy,” said Professor Erika Denton, national medical director for change in NHS England.

“However, as with any system, it is important that they are informed and handled to a high standard, and NHS England works closely with trusts to assess any issues raised and provide with additional support and guidance on the safe use of their systems where needed.”