Jul

7

More Action on the Brecon Question!

July 7, 2008

Following Meryl’s continuing campaigning on behalf of awareness survivors in Wales, Roger Williams, MP for Brecon & Radnorshire has again presented questions in Parliament to the Secretary of State for Health (tabled in written form on 19th June). Ann Keen, Under-Secretary of State, has responded with a list of statistics.

We at AANUK&I are PUZZLED by these statistics, which give no indication of how awareness was defined, or what base-line was used to measure awareness; they appear to indicate a VERY low incidence of awareness throughout the regions……..and Wales seems not to be represented at all!

So we ask the question - is YOUR incident represented here? Please get in touch if you have anything to add!

“Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health:
(1) how many recorded cases there were of anaesthetic awareness in each of the last three years, broken down by region; [212779]
(2) what (a) support, (b) counselling, (c) information and (d) guidance is available to patients who experience post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing anaesthetic awareness; [212780]
(3) what proportion of incident and accident forms were sent to the National Patient Safety Agency following cases of anaesthetic awareness in each of the last two years. [212781]”

RESPONSE FROM ANN KEEN:

“Information about reported incidents of anaesthetic awareness available from the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) is contained in the following table:

Strategic Health Authority          2005 2006 2007 Total

East Midlands SHA                        1          0         2          3
East of England SHA                      0         0         1          1
North East SHA                              0         0         1          1
North West SHA                             2         0         2         4
South Central                                  0         1          1          2
South West SHA                             1         0         0          1

Total                                                 4         1          7          12

These numbers may under-represent the total number of incidents. All national health service organisations are asked to send details on all the patient safety related incidents that are reported to them via local risk management systems to the NPSA’s NRLS. For the majority of organisations, these incidents can be automatically uploaded to the NRLS. In the most recent quarter 98 per cent. of incidents received by the NRLS were reported via this route. However, the NPSA is unable to confirm whether all relevant incidents reported locally to NHS organisations are subsequently reported to the NRLS.

The Royal College of Anaesthetists has published “Information for Patients: Risks Associated with your Anaesthetic”, which was revised in June 2008. This informs patients that awareness during anaesthesia can occasionally happen, what steps are taken to prevent it and what to do if they think it has happened to them.

Patients who report that they think they have been aware can expect that the hospital will ensure the anaesthetist is promptly informed; that the anaesthetist who conducted the anaesthetic will spend time with them and they may be offered further counselling. More information can be found at:
www.rcoa.ac.uk”

231 Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many recorded cases there were of anaesthetic awareness in each of the last three years, broken down by region.
(212779)
232 Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) support, (b) counselling, (c) information and (d) guidance is available to patients who experience post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing anaesthetic awareness.
(212780)
233 Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of incident and accident forms were sent to the National Patient Safety Agency following cases of anaesthetic awareness in each of the last two years.