Hospital medication errors affect one in three people with diabetes

[DCUK NewsBot]

A third of people with diabetes who are admitted to hospital experience a medication error during their stay, according to Diabetes UK. The figure is one of many laid out in the charity's Facts and Stats update. The statistics can help to inform and improve diabetes care within the UK. The charity reports that a quarter of people with diabetes struggle to get the medication or equipment they need to manage their diabetes. A quarter of people are not prescribed the amount of test strips they need. Nearly two-thirds of people with diabetes do not fully understand their condition. Fewer than 20 per cent of those who have type 1 diabetes and 40 per cent with type 2 are meeting the recommended treatment targets. Diabetes UK's chief executive Chris Askew said: "Millions of [type 2 diabetes] cases could be prevented if we help people understand their risk and how to reduce it. "Even though the older people get the more likely they are to have [type 2 diabetes], it is never too early to know your risk so that you can make changes to prevent or delay it." Spotting the signs of diabetes early is very beneficial towards managing the condition effectively. Mr Askew said that diagnosing diabetes will mean "fewer people will experience diabetes-related complications such as sight loss, amputation, kidney failure, stroke and heart disease". More than 4.7 million people in the UK have diabetes and the number of people diagnosed with the condition has more than doubled in the last 20 years. It has been predicted that by 2025 more than five million people in the UK will have diabetes if urgent action is not taken. The NHS is aiming to tackle the rising prevalence of diabetes through increasing use of digital methods to help prevent diabetes. The Low Carb Program is one of the key tools selected to help people at risk of type 2 diabetes from developing the condition. The program has also shown strong results in helping people with type 2 diabetes achieve healthy blood glucose levels and reduce their dependence on diabetes medication.

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[kitedoc]

One way to possibly stem the tide of medical error is for the presence of a policy for patients, or their designated proxies/representatives, to be able to read AND WRITE in their clinical records. Plus, where possible to be able to look and comment upon their medication charts.
I admit that an increase in patient health literacy might be needed to assist this process.
In Oz there is a least one hospital which has a policy such as described above, following a coroner's inquest and the above recommendation which was issued from it. Yes, policy issued for one of the victims of medication error.
In his case the admitting doctor failed to record both adverse reactions experienced by the patient to a medication. Both reactions were detailed to said person by patient and and his wife, both University-educated.
Only the lesser and more common adverse reaction was recorded. And this was only discovered in perusal of his clinical record after death. Even when checks for allergy and reactions were made with each administration of medication to him in hospital the discrepancy was not picked up.
The Coroner opined that if the reading of the record by patient or proxy had been a strong enough policy with the right to make notes by or for the patient, his death could have been prevented. The patient had been given the offending medication and died a ghastly, unnecessary death.
Saying health professionals should pull up their socks is not enough and why should patients be excluded from helping to protect themselves ????? Wake up OZ, wake up UK and every place on the planet !!!!!
As crazy as it seems, in Oz anyway, a Coroner's recommendation is not legally binding, nor required by law or health policy to be applied to other hospitals or health systems. The only motivating factor is that an insurance company for the hospital may note that steps were not taken to prevent a repeat of the tragedy and that could seriously affect the insurance risk and any insurance payout for the hospital. Who said money was not more important than lives???
There is concept called the Pentagon of Care which lists the categories of persons who inform, effect change and implement health policy. That list includes patients, HCPs and so on BUT does not include Coroners and their recommendations. ?Time to talk about a Health Hexagon or Hexagon of Care ??? and a better framework of rights and responsibilities??