Yes, definitely.
When we make mistakes, they can have far reaching consequences. You can have a serious (and preventable) drug side-effect; not have cancer diagnosed in time; or lose a limb or eyesight, or at worse your life.
The five main types of error are well known and described on MyHSN here.
There are lots of things you can do to help your doctor(s) reduce the number of mistakes. They are listed on MyHSN here.
Doctors – and indeed all health professionals – should not make big decisions, or carry out procedures or operations, that they do not have enough experience for.
But from the doctor’s perspective, if they think a mistake has happened, it is important to:
- Tell the truth
- Tell a colleague (usually a senior) as soon as possible. Write down what happened
- Make every effort to inform the patient and family. This is called ‘duty of candour’.
