NHS England has published provisional data on reported “Never Events” between April 2025 and March 2026. This article outlines what the latest figures mean for patients and potential medical negligence claims.
A “Never Event” is a “serious patient safety incident that is considered wholly preventable when appropriate safety measures are followed”. Therefore, it is named a “never” event, as it should never happen.
This publication forms part of NHS England’s ongoing commitment to transparency and learning from patient safety incidents. These figures remain provisional while healthcare providers complete local investigations and ensure that the reported Never Events meet the criteria for categorisation in these publications.
Provisional data
The data from April 2025 to March 2026 identified 416 incidents initially reported as Never Events, of which 403 met the criteria under the Never Events framework at the time of reporting. The remaining incidents did not appear to meet the definition and may be removed following further investigation.
The most frequently reported categories were “wrong site surgery” (166 cases), “retained foreign object post procedure” (121 cases), and “wrong implant/prosthesis” incidents (50 cases). Other categories included “wrong procedure,” “administration of medication by the wrong route,” and “removal of an organ when the surgical plan was to conserve it”.
Key insights
The figures highlight to NHS England the continued importance of robust safety processes, including correct patient identification, surgical checklists, implant verification procedures and effective communication between healthcare teams.
Never Events are rare, given the volume of NHS treatment delivered; however, their classification indicates that these incidents are preventable and often lead to significant consequences for patients.
For patients and their families, these incidents can be particularly distressing because they often involve a clear breach of the expected standard of care. Consequences of a Never Event can include avoidable injury, additional treatment, psychological harm and the potential for legal claims.
Not every Never Event will automatically result in a successful medical negligence claim. However, the majority of these claims show that an incident classified as a Never Event may be an important factor when investigating whether avoidable harm has occurred.
Looking ahead
From a legal perspective, Never Event claims are about obtaining answers, understanding why an incident occurred and ensuring lessons are learned to reduce the risk of similar harm happening to others.
NHS England has confirmed that it is reviewing its Never Events framework to explore whether a revised approach could better support patient safety and learning.
A final report is due following further investigations and analysis to produce accurate figures that may differ from the above provisional data.
"It is disappointing to see the amount of never events that occur each year affecting so many people, sometimes with life-changing injuries. The significant failure to provide the most basic level of care to a person quite often results in an indefensible claim.”
Jordan Higgs
Associate - Medical Negligence
This information is for guidance purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We recommend you seek legal advice before acting on any information given.
