Levels of harm in primary care
November 2011
Key points
- Around one in ten people experience harm from hospital care, but the evidence for rates in primary care is sparse.
- Studies have widely varying estimates of harm, from less than 1% to 24%.
- The most robust studies suggest that 1–2% of consultations are associated with an adverse event in primary care, with the most common errors relating to medication and communication.
- In out-of-hours care, the rate is about 2%.
- The majority of events do not impact significantly on patients.
A great deal of research is available about patient harm in hospital, but less is known about errors in primary care.
This evidence scan collates empirical evidence that addresses the following questions:
- How is harm measured in primary care?
- What are the levels of harm in primary care?
- What are the main causes or sources of harm in primary care?
- Is there unpublished or ongoing work or media stories about this topic?
You might also like...
Event
Webinar: NHS reform – what do the proposals mean for general practice?
How the government's proposed NHS reforms will affect primary care and why general practice should...
Chart
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted primary care?
Three charts exploring regional trends in the number of primary care appointments, trends in the...
Journal article
The impacts of collaboration between local health care and non-health care organisations and factors shaping how they work
A review of reviews on the impact of collaboration between healthcare and non-healthcare...
Get social
Health Foundation @HealthFdn
NHS Test and Trace celebrated its first birthday last month. We've tracked its up and downs and reported on its su… https://t.co/Iro6fcRdgH
Follow us on TwitterWork with us
We look for talented and passionate individuals as everyone at the Health Foundation has an important role to play.
View current vacanciesThe Q community
Q is an initiative connecting people with improvement expertise across the UK.
Find out more