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A study of unreported accidents in a large acute hospital was carried out to investigate the incidence of unreported accidents compared to that of reported accidents in a 10-ward sample. The survey was carried out on three separate days over a 20 week period and included general surgery, general medicine and psychogeriatric wards. The study found that the 574 patients who were questioned sustained 75 accidents, of which 49 were reported and 26 were unreported. A description of the study is presented.

The findings of a study into the incidence of accidents to patients in hospital show that falls to older people are the most common incidents. The study investigates 728 reported patient accidents in large acute hospitals. It reveals large differences between staff and patients' accounts of the accidents and finds that the most serious accidents tended to be the most poorly recorded.