Disclosed is a detection device suitable for use with a blood pressure measurement system for detecting improper functioning due to the absence of an inflatable cuff from a patients measurement site, its improper attachment to the site, or it being disconnected from the system. The device is coupled to an inflatable cuff attached to the measurement site and arranged to perform a series of measurements, wherein for each measurement of the series, an inflation operation is performed to inflate the cuff. The device includes a determining unit for determining inflation speed-dependent parameter values during inflation operations, and a processor module arranged for receiving the determined inflation speed-dependent parameter values. The processor module is configured to check whether the difference between the cuff inflation parameter value determined during the corresponding inflation operation and the cuff inflation parameter value determined during a preceding inflation operation meets a predetermined criterion.