Insulin, hospitals and harm: a review of patient safety incidents reported to the National Patient Safety Agency

Abstract

Patient safety incidents involving insulin are frequent and cause considerable distress to people with diabetes and anxieties to their families and carers. This article describes an analysis of the National Reporting and Learning System database of patient safety incidents concerning insulin reported from NHS providers in England and Wales over six years. The main causes are discussed and the ongoing developments by the National Patient Safety Agency and partner organisations to reduce insulin errors are described.