Objective To analyze experiences of medical risk management in the United Kingdom so as to explore the possible application for the construction of a Chinese medical risk monitoring and early warning system. Methods We searched Engineering Information, SCI and SSCI, EMBASE, SCOPUS with 100% MEDLINE, VIP, CNKI, and government or official websites. This search was conducted in Jan. 2006. We included articles about medical risk, patient safety and medical errors in the UK. Languages of articles were limited either in English or in Chinese. Results Eleven articles were included, of which 9 article are evidence of level B (about 80%) and the other 2 are evidence of level C (about 20%). The report of “An Organization with a Memory” revealed the severity of medical errors and adverse events in the UK in 2000, and subsequently Minister Blair announced a five-year reform program for NHS. Within 7 years of reform, NHS budget has been increased from £33 billion to £674 billion,(check numbers-doesn’t sound correct) the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and the New National System for learning from adverse events and near misses have been established, a series of practicable measures aimed at ensuring patient safety, preventing medical risk and improving healthcare quality have been implemented, all of which have effectively resolved many problems that perplexed the government and public, such as patients waiting time, range of NHS service, the availability of medical facility and mortality induced by high-risk diseases. Conclusion There are both advantages and disadvantages in the present status of the UK medical risk management. Both of them will provide a guide to prevent medical risk, improve healthcare quality and to realize the ultimate goal that everybody could share healthcare sources fairly and safely in our country.