Nobody is perfect

Inevitably, mistakes can arise in our private life and can also happen at work. If a plumber put a nail through a pipe, it would cause a mess, but it is most unlikely that anyone be harmed. However, if a dentist and his or her team make a mistake, a patient could well be harmed; a small risk but a real one. Error is a combination of human and system failures. Even the best of us can make mistakes, so it is important that defences are in place to ensure that any mistakes due to human error are made less likely. Incident reporting has proved to be a useful tool in preventing error in high-risk industries, such as aviation, nuclear and petro-chemical industries. It has increased investment in the development of proactive and reactive safety systems. If an aviation incident occurs it is reported, investigated and lessons are learnt. Are you aware of the incident reporting system at your hospital? Reporting when things go wrong is essential, as it explores the underlying causes of patient safety incidents.