Accidents involving NHS staff are costing £170m a year in sick leave and compensation payments, according to a Commons public accounts committee report.
The report said that there were more than 135,000 accidents in the NHS in 2002, up by more than a third on 2001.
The report, 'Improving Management of Health and Safety Risks to Staff in NHS Trusts', found that only 42% of accidents that by law should be reported were reported, and that many of the accidents were preventable.
