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October 14, 2026
2 mins
Patient Safety: Are We Making It Easier to Do the Right Thing?
We talk a great deal about patient safety in healthcare. Yet when things go wrong, the conversation too often returns…
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October 11, 2026
1 mins
Retained swabs: putting NHS policy into practice:
NHS England’s policy sets an important benchmark for patient safety. Unintentionally retained swabs that meet the published criteria are classified…
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September 22, 2026
1 mins
Death from a Retained Swab: A Lesson in System Resilience
Following heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital, a surgical swab was unintentionally left inside Mr Johnson’s chest. Although it was later…
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April 2, 2026
4 mins
Retained Surgical Items: When the Count Is Correct but the System Still Fails
Retained surgical items remain one of the most serious and preventable risks in modern healthcare. A COUNT WAS COMPLETED. THE…
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January 14, 2026
4 mins
NatSSIPs 2, Where Policy Meets Reality
This article was reviewed for technical accuracy and clarity by Dr Nigel Roberts, Associate Divisional Director, with a keen interest…
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October 23, 2025
3 mins
From Never Events to Never Again: How iCount Is Reinventing Surgical Safety
Retained surgical swabs remain one of healthcare’s most preventable Never Events.Even with decades of safety protocols and manual counting, incidents…
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September 25, 2025
4 mins
Never Events in Healthcare: Why the NHS is Reviewing the Term
Editors Note The NHS Never Events consultation took place from February to May 2024. It has now closed and NHS…
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September 11, 2025
2 mins
The Hidden Toll: Retained Swab After Childbirth Laura Fleming’s Story, and What Must Change
Childbirth should be joyous. For Laura Fleming, it became the start of an avoidable nightmare. In this conversation, Laura describes…
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September 1, 2025
2 mins
Preventing Retained Surgical Swabs: A Surgeon’s Perspective
Retained surgical swabs remain a serious risk despite checklists and protocols. In this interview, a paediatric surgeon shares why these…
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August 26, 2025
3 mins
Never Means Never: Why Retained Swabs Must Be Eliminated from Maternity Care
When we talk about Never Events in healthcare, the word “never” is not a suggestion. It should be a promise.…
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