NHS technology is ‘not fit for purpose’ and to blame for up to 1,000 avoidable deaths a year
Experts called for a public inquiry into the fatalities as they blasted outdated IT
NHS technology is “not fit for purpose” and is to blame for up to 1,000 avoidable deaths a year, a review suggests.
Experts called for a public inquiry into the fatalities as they blasted outdated IT.
Software found on PCs, MRI scanners, ventilators and dialysis machines is said to be buggy and vulnerable to attack.
And badly designed “safety critical” devices are increasing the risk of human error with no built-in mechanism to prevent blunders.
That leads to patients getting incorrect diagnoses, the wrong medication or fatal drug doses.
Professor Harold Thimbleby, an advisor to the Royal College of Physicians, said: “There isn’t a good word to describe how bad the stuff in a hospital is and how unaware people in hospitals are.
“The Grenfell fire had 71 deaths and a public inquiry. Computer bugs in hospital, perhaps they are killing 100 to 900 a year. Why don’t we have a public inquiry in to the safety of hospital software?”
Professor Martyn Thomas, of the University of Oxford, warned hackers can remotely disable diagnostic machines, modify records and re-program pacemakers.
The experts said medics are often “scapegoated” for mistakes caused by technical faults that manufacturers should foresee.
Last May the Wannacry cyberattack infected 81 health trusts and almost 800 GP surgeries.
The Department of Health said it did not recognise the death figures quoted and it is investing £4.2billion in new technology.