The information that we collect from the UK’s private hospitals and facilities and publish on our website, shows that most surgical procedures conducted in the UK are problem-free.

• There were just 18.2 infections per 100,000 days of patients being in a hospital bed in our most recent reporting period. When they happened, the healthcare team identified and treated them.
• Fewer than one person died for every 1,000 patients discharged from a private hospital in the UK. More than two in three of these deaths would have been expected as the patient was already suffering from a terminal condition, such as cancer.
• Similarly, there was fewer than one instance of serious injuries per 1,000 discharged patients. The rate for patients who had unplanned returns to theatre and/or transfers to another hospital was also less that one per 1,000. These are all standard measures of safety that both the NHS and private sector must report.
• Lastly, of the approximately one million procedures carried out in private inpatient care or day surgery over the past 12 months, there were just 27 which would be classified as ‘never events’ (events that should never happen), 12 cases of wrong site surgery and 9 objects left in the body after the procedure.

These are all very rare and reportable events. Healthcare professionals must investigate them and ensure that they make any necessary safety improvements so that there is no repeat of any avoidable factors which may have allowed them to happen.

Despite these positive findings, part of our role is in patient education and helping them understand any potential safety issues in healthcare settings. The rest of this article sets out the things patients can do to reduce their risks even more.

What is the role of the patient in avoiding patient safety incidents?

There is no surgical procedure which is 100% risk-free of problems. Hospitals, clinicians, consultants, and their teams are fully aware of the responsibility to treat patients safely.

While there is a lot to think about and plan before surgery, there are also several things that you can do as a patient to help support you own safety while having a surgical procedure. Taking an active role in your own care can increase your understanding and confidence before receiving medical care.

• Patients who did experience safety incidents in the NHS or with a private healthcare provider told us to encourage other patients to think about safety and reassure themselves by asking questions.
• In particular, patients should look at who is conducting the surgery, their relevant clinical qualifications and experience, how many times they have conducted this procedure and their surgical outcomes.
• Additionally, patients should check that the consultant has registered on the General Medical Council (GMC) website: Our registers - GMC as well as relevant specialist clinical registers.
• Patients should ask their hospital and consultant about their safety culture and the processes they follow, including what happens if anything goes wrong and their complaints procedures. Organisations such as ISCAS (the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service) which can conduct an external review and help support patients who need to raise a complaint.
• Patients should follow the pre- and post-treatment advice given to them by their surgeon. This may involve avoiding certain types of food, doing exercise, lifestyle changes or following a course of medication for a prescribed time.
• Family members should be responsive to any unusual behaviour or symptoms of their loved ones, and act quickly if there are warning signals by contacting their doctor or the consultant who conducted the treatment.
• If you can, ask around – do you know any people who have had the same surgery you are planning, or have experience of the same consultant and hospital? Have other patients shared feedback or photo / video testimonials? You can also look at websites, such as PHIN’s, for outcomes such as patient experience and satisfaction as rated by other patients.
• As a consumer or customer of private healthcare, you can shop around. PHIN’s website provides information on indicative or actual consultant costs e.g. Understanding private consultant costs | PHIN. Note that if a treatment seems unusually cheap, you may consider whether it is too good to be true – and what might be missing from the bill or clinical process. It is usually the case that you get what you pay for.
• You should always choose a reputable and regulated provider of care. All hospitals and clinics carrying surgical procedures should be registered with the relevant regulatory body: England (Care Quality Commission), Scotland (Healthcare Improvement Scotland), Wales (Healthcare Inspectorate Wales) or Northern Ireland (Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority). For more information about these regulators, see our guide.
• Regulators do not normally cover non-surgical treatments we have provided advice for cosmetic interventions, for example: Cosmetic clinics – what to watch out for recommends how to check if your professional joins a voluntary register.

What you should talk about with your doctor/surgeon when thinking about safety

• Make sure that your doctor knows any relevant medical history, allergies, and medications that you are currently taking. Tell them any concerns or facts that you feel are important. Do not be afraid to be assertive: if something feels wrong, say so.
• Check that you understand the possible treatment options, their expected impacts, and any risks from surgery, plus before giving your consent. Ask questions if something is unclear; only proceed when you feel fully informed and comfortable with the decision. Find out what to expect in terms of recovery time and what pain management options are available to you.

By taking the initiative and being vigilant about your safety as a patient, and raising any safety concerns, you can help to minimise risks and ensure a positive healthcare experience.

Patient safety related questions you might want to think about

If you are interested in finding out more about patient safety in the UK, please visit this website for more information: https://www.patientsafetylearning.org/

See also the international Patient safety rights charter (who.int), created by the World Health Organization.

Your thoughts on patient safety

Are you a patient with experience of safety issues or taking steps to avoid them? Do you have any other advice to share with other patients to help them too? Please get in touch using: patients@phin.org.uk