Accidents, errors and mishaps in hospital affect as many as one in 10 in-patients, claim researchers.

The report in the journal Quality and Safety in Health Care said up to half of these were preventable.

Checks on 1,000 cases in just one hospital found examples of fatal surgical errors, infections and drug complications.

However, other studies have suggested that the reporting rate is poor. The University of York study focused on a single major acute hospital in England, and pored over the notes of 1,006 people admitted into it.

While 87 people had definitely suffered at least one "adverse event", the researchers said it was likely that even more had suffered harm....

BBC NEWS | Health | One in 10 suffers 'hospital harm'