The National Tracheostomy Safety Project analysed tracheostomy-related critical incidents that were reported nationally to the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA). The findings were that hospital wards often lack appropriate infrastructure to care for this vulnerable group, and significant patient harm may result.

Patients with tracheostomies carry a weighty burden of patient management, and often find themselves under the care of teams that are not prepared for the transference of care.

Fortunately, measures are being taken to train, equip, and support healthcare teams on the basic care for patients with tracheostomies, and to reduce unnecessary anxiety surrounding the care. This has been shown to have a big impact on the quality and safety of the care that is provided for patients and their families.