In 2009 the Department of Health (DH),
classified cases of severe harm or death resulting
from failure to detect a misplaced nasogastric
tube before feeding as a ‘never event’. Never
events are serious and largely preventable
incidents that should never occur if available
guidance is followed (DH 2012). In 2011/12
there were 23 known never events involving
a misplaced nasogastric tube in England (DH
2012). The National Patient Safety Agency
(NPSA) issued two key safety alerts, in 2005
and 2011, in response to deaths and severe
harm caused by misplaced nasogastric tubes.
Both alerts stipulated actions that had to be
taken by NHS acute trusts and primary care
organisations in England and Wales to improve
patient safety (NPSA 2005, 2011).