Patient Safety
More than a million people are treated safely in the NHS every day. Occasionally, things can go wrong, or there is an unexpected event. These are known as Patient Safety Incidents or Adverse Events.
The safety of patients, carers and staff is very important to us. We aim to deliver high-quality care in safe environments where everyone is protected from harm.
What is the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)?
We have adopted a national approach, set out by NHS England which is called the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF). This Framework lays out how NHS organisations should respond to Patient Safety incidents for the purpose of learning and improvement.
How do we investigate Patient Safety Incidents?
We review all Patient Safety Incidents to identify where improvements can be made.
Where appropriate we will complete a ‘Learning Response’. This is where we review the incident in more detail with the staff involved in the incident, and will ask patients and their families to contribute to this if they wish too.
Our PSIRF Plan lays out which Patient Safety Incidents require a learning response.
How will I be involved?
If you have been affected by a Patient Safety Incident you may be offered the opportunity to share your experience.
A Family Liaison Officer, who is part of our Patient Safety Team, will contact those affected by the Patient Safety Incident. They will invite you to take part in a Learning Response Review. The review will capture learning and how we can improve. It will also show how people affected have been listened to and supported.
We believe that every experience is important in building a full picture of what happened and how we can learn in the future. Everyone involved in the learning response will be treated with respect and compassion.
Patient Safety Partners
Patient Safety Partners work alongside our Patient Safety Team. They can be patients, family members, carers, or other members of the public who want to help improve patient safety.
We would like our Patient Safety Partners to represent the people in our care, and we welcome interest in this role from people from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities. Please email sirona.psirf@nhs.net to express your interest.
Where can I find out more?
- A short video on PSIRF.
- Our Patient Safety Incidents key easy read leaflet and our leaflet with key points on how we keep you safe.
- Patient Safety Incident Response Plan and Patient Safety Incident Response Policy.
- The NHS England Patient Safety Incident Response Framework.
- The NHS England Patient Incidents Response Standards.
- Report a Patient Safety Incident.
- Report a complaint or incident to our Experience and Complaints Team: 0300 124 5400 or Sirona.experienceandcomplaints@nhs.net.
