Derriford Hospital had four 'never events'

Four 'never events' occurred at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth

A major South West hospital failed to ensure the safety of patients four times during surgeries last year.

There were three so-called "never events" in March and April and another in November at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, it has revealed.

The last incident meant surgical equipment was inserted into the wrong side of a patient's body.

The patient was unharmed. Medical director Phil Hughes said it was essential to learn from any mistakes.

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'Open and honest'

The surgery involved putting dye into the patient so the kidneys could be seen on X-ray.

The report said the team carried out the correct procedure immediately.

"This incident is currently being investigated. Immediate actions have been taken to prevent recurrence," the hospital trust's latest report said.

Phil Hughes, consultant radiologist and medical director for Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We see and treat nearly half-a-million patients per year and for hundreds of thousands of people their investigations and treatment go well and they report being highly satisfied with their care.

"But, for a small minority, mistakes happen and things do not go as planned. When mistakes happen it is essential that we are open and honest about them and, importantly, that we use them as learning opportunities to help us improve our services and make them safer."

The latest report by health watchdogs the Care Quality Commission says that Derriford requires improvement in surgery.

"Never events" is the terminology used within the NHS to describe serious but preventable instances where errors take place.