Freedom of Information Request: FOI 0459
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) completed a merger by acquisition of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT) on 1st April 2018. UHB includes Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Solihull Hospital and Community Services, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham Chest Clinic.
Due to historical differences in data collection/reporting across UHB and the former Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust some responses have been provided by hospital site.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
I recently undertook a project in which I examined the possibility of initiating a single checking procedure for the administration of IV drugs.
1. The information I require from your Health Authority is firstly, does your critical care unit double check or single check IV drug administrations?
Our critical care team have a double check policy on all intravenous medicines. This policy has been in existence over 10 years.
2. More importantly, in order for me to conduct a more robust risk assessment, if single checking is the practice within your trust, have there been any increase in drug errors/near misses?
Not applicable
Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospital
I recently undertook a project in which I examined the possibility of initiating a single checking procedure for the administration of IV drugs.
1. The information I require from your Health Authority is firstly, does your critical care unit double check or single check IV drug administrations?
Our critical care team double check all inotropes and controlled drugs. In addition new starters will initially be double checked. Other than that there is a single nurse check.
2. More importantly, in order for me to conduct a more robust risk assessment, if single checking is the practice within your trust, have there been any increase in drug errors/near misses?
This has been in place for a number of years but there has been no increase in errors/near misses that we or the unit are aware of.
