Table 3

Estimated number of errors per annum in England overall and for each stage of the medication use process in each setting, presented according to potential to cause harm

Error category	Number of medication errors per annum in England
Error category	Primary care	Care homes	Secondary care	Total for all settings
Prescribing
Minor	21 170 690	1 447 770	1 663 208	24 281 668
Moderate	21 723 443	1 485 571	2 087 199	25 296 213
Severe	729 367	49 878	293 338	1 072 583
Total	43 623 500	2 983 219	4 043 745	50 650 464
Transitioning
Minor	No data	No data	1 390 365	1 390 365
Moderate	No data	No data	1 744 801	1 744 801
Severe	No data	No data	245 217	245 217
Total	No data	No data	3 380 383	3 380 383
Dispensing
Minor	21 295 902	2 281 526	891 667	24 469 095
Moderate	11 208 369	1 200 803	469 298	12 878 470
Severe	373 612	40 027	15 643	429 282
Total	32 877 883	3 522 355	1 376 609	37 776 847
Administration
Minor	N/A	84 856 111	34 327 365	119 183 476
Moderate	N/A	6 727 552	2 721 538	9 449 090
Severe	N/A	249 169	100 798	349 967
Total	N/A	91 832 832	37 149 701	128 982 533
Monitoring
Minor	1 582 202	68 225	149 307	1 799 734
Moderate	10 548 013	454 835	995 378	11 998 226
Severe	2 373 303	102 338	223 960	2 699 601
Total	14 503 519	625 398	1 368 644	16 497 561
All medication use errors
Minor	44 048 794	88 653 632	38 421 912	171 124 338
Moderate	43 479 825	9 868 761	8 018 214	61 366 800
Severe	3 476 282	441 412	878 956	4 796 650
TOTAL	91 004 902	98 963 804	47 319 082	237 287 788

N/A, not available.