Faulty NHS Medical Equipment Linked to Over 300 Deaths in Two Years
Confidential safety database reveals hundreds of fatal incidents involving malfunctioning devices in England.
Broken or malfunctioning medical equipment has been associated with more than 300 patient deaths in England over the past two financial years, according to figures obtained by the Daily Mail.
These incidents were detailed on a confidential safety database used by the National Health Service (NHS) to record events that have harmed patients or could have done so. In the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26, there were 158 and 154 fatal incidents, respectively, linked to 'devices'.
The database, known as the Learn from Patient Safety Events Service, includes reports from hospital and ambulance staff describing catastrophic failings. In one instance, ambulance crews were unable to administer a life-saving shock because a defibrillator's battery was dead, and the spare was also depleted. Other reported issues involved a defibrillator failing in the rain and resuscitation bags missing essential components.
One patient suffered a cardiac arrest due to lack of oxygen after being taken to an operating theatre with an oxygen mask whose valve was shut. In another case, a woman died in an A&E chair after a nurse replaced her oxygen cylinder but forgot to turn it on.
Human error contributed to some of these malfunctions. At one hospital, the emergency bleep system failed for an entire morning, preventing critical care teams from receiving urgent calls.
The NHS states that clinicians review all reported incidents resulting in severe harm or death. Separate data from NHS Resolution, the health service's legal arm, shows five payouts totaling £254,500 were made last year in cases where faulty equipment directly caused a patient's death.
A spokesperson for the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency emphasized the importance of proper staff training on medical equipment usage, as well as appropriate monitoring and maintenance. An NHS England spokesman confirmed that all NHS hospitals are required to have plans in place to address patient safety incidents and ensure improvements are made.