Over the past three years, 87 people have died and 4,000 have been harmed in England due to equipment malfunctions in the NHS, including defibrillators, emergency alarms, and intubation devices. These 'shocking statistics' have prompted calls for increased government funding to replace obsolete medical devices, highlighting years of underfunding.
Thousands harmed and 87 dead after NHS equipment failures in England
NHSEnglandUKHealth policyHealthPoliticsPublic services policyTax and spending
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Over the past three years, 87 people have died and 4,000 have been harmed in England due to equipment malfunctions in the NHS, including defibrillators, emergency alarms, and intubation devices. These 'shocking statistics' have prompted calls for increased government funding to replace obsolete medical devices, highlighting years of underfunding.
Trending- 1 Since 2022: 3,915 equipment malfunction incidents recorded, leading to 87 deaths.
- 2 September 2023: New NHS safety system became mandatory.
- 3 March 2024: Board papers from Croydon and Barts health trusts detail equipment issues.
- 4 End of March 2024: At least 10,000 diagnostic devices from one supplier past recommended lifespan.
- 5 April 2024: Ashford and St Peter’s hospitals trust recorded 'extreme' risk.
- 6 April 2025: Target for eliminating backlog of diagnostic equipment over 10 years old.
- 7 Last autumn: Labour government increased NHS capital budget by £3.1bn.
- 8 This week: Rachel Reeves expected to announce significant additional capital funding.
- 87 deaths and 3,915 harms since 2022
- Patients suffering permanent damage or reduced life expectancy
- Increased risk of infection
- Need for further surgeries
- Psychological impact on patients
- Calls for increased government funding
- Pressure on the Labour government to address the issue
- Ongoing risks to patient safety
What: Thousands of patients (3,915 harmed, 87 dead) have been affected by equipment malfunctions in the NHS in England since 2022. Failures include defibrillators, emergency alarm systems, intubation device cameras, breathing equipment, and defective beds/mattresses. This has led to calls for more government funding to upgrade and replace obsolete medical devices.
When: Since 2022 (past three years); new safety system mandatory since September 2023; April (Ashford and St Peter’s hospitals trust risk recorded); March (Croydon health services NHS trust board papers, Barts health trust board papers); end of March 2024 (diagnostic devices past lifespan); April this year (target for eliminating backlog); last autumn (Labour government increased NHS capital budget); this week (Rachel Reeves expected to announce funding).
Where: England (NHS hospitals across the country), specifically mentioned: Ashford and St Peter’s hospitals trust (Surrey), Croydon health services NHS trust, Barts health trust (London), Royal London and Mile End hospitals (London), Whipps Cross (London).
Why: Years of underfunding in NHS infrastructure and capital investment have left staff with obsolete equipment, which is putting patients at unnecessary risk and leading to tragic avoidable harm.
How: Equipment malfunctions (e.g., defibrillators failing, alarms not working, cameras going dark, breathing equipment issues, defective beds) directly caused harm or death. The incidents were logged by doctors and nurses. The issue is exacerbated by a backlog of diagnostic equipment past its recommended lifespan.