In 2010 Grace Wang was left paralysed after an accidental epidural injection with antiseptic solution (indistinct chlorhexidine – easily mistaken for other colourless solutions). This same error continues to play out again and again throughout the world.
500 frontline staff have signed a petition to have indistinct chlorhexidine banned – there’s no need for it and distinct solutions are already in use at no difference in price.
This week the Advisory Committee on Medical Devices (ACMD) will decide whether to ban indistinct chlorhexidine – a simple and obvious decision yet to be made in any other country.
Healthcare environments are increasingly complex with new drugs, more equipment and a multitude of different systems. This has set the scene for an increasing number of adverse events.
Medical error is now reported as the third greatest cause of hospital death.
Doctors and nurses are crying out for work environments to be made safer for patient care. So far their voices have fallen on deaf ears. In banning indistinct chlorhexidine the ACMD will provide an avenue for hundreds perhaps thousands of safety initiatives to follow. Let’s not miss out on this opportunity.
For more information see: psnetwork.org
