A patient has "died unexpectedly" at Royal Darwin Hospital following a "medication error" and a second patient was "seriously harmed" in a remote clinic after a similar mistake, new data shows.
The incidents were listed in NT Health's most recent annual report and both occurred in the 2020-21 financial year.
A spokesman for the department confirmed the patient's death at RDH was now before the coroner.
The spokesman wasn't able to disclose which drugs either patients were given or the name of the remote community where the second incident occurred.
He said the department expressed its "sincere condolences" to the family of the patient who "died unexpectedly" at the Northern Territory's largest hospital due to the error.
He said the remote incident, which according the NT Health's report resulted in "serious harm" to the patient, occurred during an "emergency event" at the clinic.
"The patient recovered and open disclosure occurred," the spokesman said.
"Full investigations were conducted into both incidents, including root cause analysis to review medicines management protocols and procedures."
The department also apologised for the "distress caused" to the remote patient's family following the mistake.
In 2018, a man died at RDH after an "error" led to him being given drugs in the "incorrect" way, resulting in a deadly anaphylactic reaction.
The man died in the facility's emergency department as a result of an anaphylactic reaction to an antibiotic, prescribed and administered to treat a serious respiratory infection.
These three incidents are listed as "sentinel events" by NT Health and are considered to be "wholly preventable".
The term "sentinel event" is used to describe an unanticipated event in a healthcare setting that leads to the death or serious physical or psychological injury of a patient and is unrelated to the person's illness.
According to data from the NT Department of Health, there were no sentinel events at any of its hospitals or clinics during the 2019-20, 2018-19, 2015-16 and 2011-12 financial years.
In 2017-18, the NT recorded two sentinel events; one was recorded in 2016-17, two were recorded in both 2014-15 and 2013-14 respectively and one in 2012-13.
In NT Health's 2020-21 annual report, department CEO Franky Daly wrote "by far the biggest challenge remains the COVID-19 pandemic".
He also applauded the department for ending the financial year "close to budget".
The NT's Top End Health Service, which manages RDH, recorded a deficit of $10.4 million over budget in 2020-21.
Both the Central Australia Health Service and the NT Department of Health recorded a surplus.
