Hospital mistakes are rare but when they are made it is vital that every step possible is taken to learn from them.

Two recent incidents at hospitals in Brighton and Haywards Heath were serious enough to be classed as “never events” because, simply, they should never have happened.

Each incident has been investigated, apologised for and staff given a reminder of procedures where necessary.

Human error means mistakes can be made, but in a hospital setting the results could potentially be catastrophic.

Thousands of people are treated in hospitals every year with no problems and every effort is made to ensure this continues to be the case.

However it is vital hospitals remain open about errors and ensure each case does not happen again.