BARCODES are being placed on breast implants, replacement hips, medication and surgical tools at Salisbury District Hospital (SDH) in a bid to revolutionise patient safety.

The pioneering initiative which is taking place in six hospitals across the country is being spearheaded by the Department of Health.

The £12 million ‘Scan4Safety’ project includes uniquely barcoded wristbands for patients when they enter hospital and barcodes to record their medication and the equipment used in their treatment.

Each code can be scanned to show exactly which member of staff administered each treatment, at what time and where.

The barcodes mean that everything from a screw used in a knee operation or a breast implant that may develop a fault years later can be instantly traced to find out details such as when it was used and the surgeon who carried out the procedure.

Tim Wells, consultant cardiologist at SDH, said: “The recent implementation of the Scan4Safety project in cardiology provides us for the very first time complete traceability of products such as implantable medical devices used with our patients.

“Knowledge is power - not only does this provide us with a level of data and insight that can be used to better challenge clinical practice and variation, helping us to reduce inefficiencies and improve patient experience and outcomes - more importantly it ultimately helps to safeguard our patients from avoidable harm. In the event of a product recall, we can now easily and quickly track an affected product to the right patient.”

The initiative aims to eliminate human error in hospitals where patients are given the wrong drugs or surgery is performed on the wrong part of the body.

It also seeks to reduce unnecessary waste, effectively manage medical stocks, save staff time and give the patient more information about their treatment.

According to a Nursing Times survey, one hour a day on every nurse’s shift is wasted searching for stock.

The project is being piloted across the NHS at six sites - in Derby, Leeds, Salisbury, Cornwall, North Tees and Plymouth.

Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt said: “Scan4Safety is a world first in healthcare – and a vital part of this government’s drive to make the NHS the safest and most transparent healthcare system in the world.

“Using simple barcodes that major industries rely on every day will help to transform standards of care – before, during and after patients have treatment, at the same time as freeing up resources for care by reducing waste.”