FOI release

Objects

This request was refused in part, so we didn't provide some of the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference FOI2026/00189

Received 1 February 2026

Published 31 March 2026

Request

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to incidents where objects were unintentionally left inside patients following medical procedures. Please provide the following information for the last two financial years:

1.The number of reported incidents in which a foreign object was unintentionally left inside a patient following a surgical or invasive procedure. For each year, where recorded:

a. The type of object involved (e.g. swab, surgical instrument, guidewire)

b. Whether the incident was classified as a "Never Event" or under another patient safety category

c. Outcomes, where recorded and in aggregated form:

d. Whether additional surgery or intervention was required e. Whether the incident resulted in moderate harm, severe harm, or death (using standard NHS harm categories)

2. The number of incidents that resulted in:

a. Internal investigation

b. External reporting (e.g. to NHS England or another oversight body)

c. Copies of current policies or procedures in place to prevent retained foreign objects during procedures.

Response

Response:

Due to the small numbers generated in this request, there is no way this data can be presented that prevents it from being person identifiable data.

Therefore all questions except the below are withheld under section

40(2) Please note that staff names have been redacted from the below polices under section 40(2

2 c. Copies of current policies or procedures in place to prevent retained foreign objects during procedures.

Title	Version	Date
Swabs, Sharps Instrument and Accountable Items Policy	6	Jan-26
WHO Surgical Safety Checklist Policy	4.1	May-22
National Safety Standards for Invasicve Procedures (NatSSIPs) Policy	3.1	Jun-23
Wound Assessment and Management Policy	4	May-25

Documents

• Policy for the Adoption of the National Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (NatSSIPs) (redacted).pdf (8.6 MB)
• Swab, Needle, Instrument and Accountable Items Count Policy (redacted).pdf (17.1 MB)
• WHO Surgical Safety Checklist Policy UNDER REVIEW (redacted).pdf (5.0 MB)
• Wound Assessment and Management Policy.pdf (509.4 KB)

This is Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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