The Times sets an example with correction to cost of bed blocking claim

We factchecked a front page claim on the Times last week that bedblocking costs the NHS £6 billion a year.

Today the Times published a front page correction explaining that the £6bn figure was a ‘serious error’.

It reads:

We said in a front-page report that bed blocking costs the NHS £6 billion a year (August 12). Official estimates put the cost at about £820 million. We apologise for the serious error. 

The correction is good for five reasons:

1. Places the correction on the front page, which is good in this instance given the seriousness of the error
2. Describes the error
3. Gives the correct answer
4. Admits it was a serious error
5. Apologises for the error

We have updated our original factcheck to reflect this.

Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/otacke/