More than 3,000 hospital patients have died because of errors by NHS staff in England over the past year, figures show

However there is some comfort out there…

Hospitals reported 3,645 deaths in 2007-8 from patient safety incidents …the figure included those relating to problems with scans and tests and hospital infections. It represents a 60% rise in the last two years, but experts said it was due to better reporting not worsening care.

So despite the zillions of pounds that we spunk away on the public health service, it isn’t reducing the rate at which at which it kills patients, they are just getting better at taking the body count!

So while all of this is going on, the Department of Health clearly has its priorities in order & has time to worry about this sort of thing…

Hospitals in England should allow a more liberal use of mobile phones where they do not interfere with equipment or privacy, the government has said.

A spokeswoman said the new guidance was less prescriptive to "convey the Department's aspiration of more liberal use of mobile phones in hospitals."

Eh? Looks like it is time to get the gibbet ready for the first customers of the New Year