Health · Healthcare & Policy · 2 hrs ago
NHS records 312 deaths linked to medical equipment incidents
NHS safety records in England linked 312 deaths to equipment incidents across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years.
The records counted 158 incidents in the first year and 154 in the second.
They include cases involving failed defibrillators, missing parts in resuscitation bags and oxygen equipment that was not working as intended.
The records do not establish that equipment directly caused each death, and some incidents involved human error.
NHS clinicians review incidents reported as causing severe harm or death, and hospitals must have plans to respond and make improvements.
The figures matter because equipment failures can disrupt urgent care, while training, monitoring and maintenance may help prevent problems.
NHS figures show 312 fatal incidents linked to medical devices in England across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years.
The figures record 158 incidents in 2024/25 and 154 in 2025/26.
Reported examples include defibrillator failures, missing parts in resuscitation bags and oxygen equipment problems.
Some incidents involved human error, including a failure to switch on an oxygen cylinder.
The database does not establish whether equipment directly caused each death.
- Who
- Patients in England were involved in the fatal incidents. NHS hospital and ambulance staff recorded the events.
- What
- The NHS recorded 312 fatal incidents linked to medical devices.
- When
- The incidents occurred in the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26.
- Where
- England.
- Why
- The database links the incidents to devices, but does not say whether equipment directly caused each death.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The database recorded 158 fatal incidents linked to devices in England.
The database recorded 154 fatal incidents linked to devices in England.
The Daily Mail reported the figures.
- Total
- 312 fatal incidents linked to devices
- 2024/25
- 158 incidents
- 2025/26
- 154 incidents
- Location
- England
- Database
- Learn from Patient Safety Events Service
What people are saying
Clinicians review all incidents reported as resulting in severe harm or death.
It's vital that staff receive the proper training on the use of medical equipment, and that there is appropriate equipment monitoring and maintenance.
All NHS hospitals are required to have plans in place for how they respond to patient safety incidents to ensure improvements are made when rare events like this occur.