Workplace Fatalities in 2024/25: What the Numbers Say About Safety in Healthcare and the Public Sector

Healthcare Fatalities: What the Data Doesn’t Fully Show

Of the 92 members of the public killed in work-related incidents, 29 occurred in the health and social work sector. However, it’s important to note that these figures exclude deaths of patients and service users in registered healthcare and adult social care settings that are reportable under other regulations (such as the CQC). This means the HSE’s numbers likely underrepresent the true scale of fatal safety incidents in hospitals, care homes, and other clinical environments.

Despite regulatory oversight, care settings can be high-risk environments, especially where:

• Staffing levels are unsafe
• Equipment is faulty or poorly maintained
• Infection control policies are neglected
• Vulnerable patients are inadequately supervised

In such cases, a failure in basic standards of care can have fatal consequences.

When Does a Fatal Medical Accident Become Negligence?

Employers in healthcare have a legal duty to protect both employees and service users. This includes:

• Providing appropriate training and supervision
• Maintaining a safe working environment
• Ensuring equipment and facilities meet hygiene and safety standards

When that duty is breached and someone dies as a result, whether a nurse, a patient, a visitor, or a contractor, it may be grounds for a medical negligence or fatal accident claim.

Blackwater Law regularly investigates such cases, helping bereaved families and injured survivors understand whether a failure in professional duty occurred, and what options they must seek justice.

Staff at Risk: Fatalities Among Self-Employed and Agency Workers

The HSE report also shows that 40% of fatal worker injuries in 2024/25 involved self-employed individuals, despite self-employed workers accounting for only 15% of the total workforce. While this statistic covers all industries, it is particularly relevant in healthcare, where temporary, agency and self-employed clinicians or carers are frequently used to fill workforce gaps.

These individuals may not always receive:

• Adequate induction or site-specific training
• Clear safety procedures
• Access to the same protective resources as permanent staff

Whether working in mental health units, community care, or acute hospital settings, agency and locum workers must be protected under the same duty of care as permanent staff. When employers fail to ensure this, and someone dies as a result, a legal claim for breach of duty and negligence may follow.

Common Causes of Workplace Fatalities: Falls, Struck Objects, and Vehicles

The report also breaks down causes of fatal injuries, with around 80% of all worker deaths falling into five categories. The top three, responsible for 60% of deaths, were:

1. Falls from height (average of 38 deaths per year)
2. Being struck by a moving object
3. Being struck by a moving vehicle

These accidents are especially common in construction and industrial settings but can and do occur in medical environments as well. For example:

• Care home residents or staff may fall from improperly maintained staircases, hoists, or beds.
• Hospital staff may be injured by falling equipment or collapsing infrastructure.
• Patients may be struck by transport vehicles on hospital grounds or while being transferred between facilities.

Each of these scenarios carries the potential for a fatal outcome when proper safety checks, training or maintenance are neglected.

A Long-Term View: Fewer Fatalities, But Persistent Risks

To put 2024/25’s figures in context:

• In 1981, there were 495 workplace fatalities in Great Britain.
• In 2004/05, there were 223 deaths.
• In 2024/25, the number is 124.

Clearly, safety standards have improved over time, but progress has plateaued. Over the past decade, fatal injury rates have remained broadly flat, hovering around 0.37 deaths per 100,000 workers. In the healthcare and social care sectors, the numbers remain stubbornly high, particularly when considering the underreporting of deaths to patients.

It’s also notable that England consistently records lower fatality rates than Scotland or Wales, likely due to differences in workforce composition. However, these national averages mask significant variation between individual trusts, care providers and clinical settings, meaning a “postcode lottery” of safety standards can still exist.

What Can Families Do If a Loved One Dies Due to Negligence?

Bereaved families often face unanswered questions: Could their loved one’s death have been prevented? Did the hospital, care home or trust do enough? Is there any recourse?

At Blackwater Law we help families:

• Investigate the cause of the death
• Access relevant medical records
• Identify whether there has been a breach of duty
• Bring claims against NHS Trusts, private hospitals, or care providers where appropriate

We understand that no legal action can undo the pain of loss, but a successful claim can provide answers, accountability, and financial security in the wake of a tragedy.

If You’ve Been Affected, We’re Here to Help

Whether you’re a healthcare professional injured at work, or a family member who has lost someone in a hospital, care home or clinical setting, our expert team is here to guide you.