Harrogate Hospital Release Wrong Body For Burial

A recent "Freedom of Information" study found hospitals in the Yorkshire area to have a large amount of untoward incidents which were recorded throughout the study and included a wrong body being released for burial, being exhumed and reburied when the mistake was released, inadequate response to child protection and wrong equipment being used during children's surgery amongst other incidents. When reading this sort of report it's easy to think "it would never happen to me," but is that really true? 

The "Freedom of Information" study found over 51 untoward incidents in hospitals localised around the Yorkshire region of the U.K from January 2009 - October 2010. Not all of these cases were related to children but a large portion were; and those results are the most shocking when we place our faith in doctors and hospitals to look after our children. Finding out that they may not be doing that at all is quite a thought. Add to this thought that all these incidents were going unnoticed throughout those two years and that they only came to light during a routine information study it really shakes peoples faith in the medical system. 

It's not all doom and gloom, however. Despite the large number of incidents that were recorded in hospitals it is reassuring that they have been picked up on and bought to the public's attention. With the public scrutinising the hospitals with the most untoward incidents it is likely that such incidents will decrease in frequency. This study may help the Government bring in measures to monitor the goings-on within hospitals on a higher level, also, to make sure the rules are being kept to. We can also take heart in the fact that, most times, the hospitals realise their mistake fairly promptly and strive to put it right, for example; the hospital applied to the Ministry of Justice for a licence to exhume the body of the man they released for the wrong burial. Said man was reburied appropriately. 

Whilst these sorts of eye-opening reports do test our calibre and faith in the NHS and the medical system it is safe to say that they are not common. Out of the many adults and children that the hospitals in Yorkshire treat only 51 of these were involved in untoward incidents. In perspective, it's not a great deal. It's no relief to the families or people affected by these incidents but its a relief to those reading the study with worry and concern.