NHS Never Events 2025: Patient Safety Incidents & Legal Rights

Claire Levene
Solicitor

Lorem ipsum..

By Claire Levene

Solicitor | Medical Negligence

Share on

NHS ‘Never Events’

NHS England has published a provisional report detailing the number of Patient Safety Incidents, commonly referred to as ‘Never Events’, reported between April and November 2025 across 120 NHS Trusts.

A Never Event is a serious, and sometimes catastrophic, patient safety incident that has either caused serious harm or had the clear potential to do so. These are incidents that are considered entirely preventable when appropriate safety measures are in place.

Reported Never Events

The provisional report highlights a concerning range of errors, including (but not limited to):

• Making a surgical incision at the wrong site
• Carrying out surgery on the wrong place or wrong side
• Performing a procedure intended for another patient
• Removing an organ or structure that was not intended to be removed
• Carrying out a biopsy on the wrong lesion
• Performing the wrong surgical procedure
• Retained surgical items, including vaginal swabs, needles, guide wires, or surgical instruments
• Use of the wrong implant or prosthesis, including:
  • Aortic valves
  • Artificial hips or knees
  • Stents
  • Spinal cord stimulators
  • Intrauterine contraceptive devices
• Incorrect administration of medication
• Insulin overdoses
• Medication errors, including administering the wrong medication or incorrect dosages
• Misplaced nasogastric or orogastric tubes
• Transfusion of the wrong blood type
• Entrapment between a bed and a window

NHS Trusts with Higher Numbers of Never Events

While some NHS Trusts reported only one Never Event during this period, others recorded significantly higher numbers, including:

• Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust – 9
• University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust – 7
• Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust – 7
• Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust – 7
• Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – 6
• Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust – 6
• Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – 6
• Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – 6
• St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – 5
• Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust – 5
• North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust – 5
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – 5
• Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – 4
• University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust – 4
• University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust – 4
• Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust – 4

The full provisional report, including further details and a complete list of NHS Trusts involved, can be viewed here:

How We Can Help

If you or a loved one has suffered injury as a result of medical negligence, our specialist team can advise you on your options and whether you may be entitled to compensation.

Call us on 0151 306 3694 to discuss making a claim on a no win, no fee basis.