'Being Open' Masterclass for Patient Safety Champions, November 2008
Facilitators for the day were; Peter Walsh, Anna Allford & Carol Evans, from Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA) and Suzette Woodward, and Clare Abberton, from the NHS National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA).
Peter Walsh introduced and reviewed the current information available on Being Open: Communicating patient safety incidents with patients and their carers, including the safer practice notice issued in September 2005.
A brief discussion with Champions highlighted the need to know more about where the Being Open information is being disseminated. Strategies to engage with Trusts with a view to them delivering the programme were also discussed. A re-launch of the policy is planned for Spring 2009 and Suzette very much hopes the ‘face' for the publicity around this will be the patient. The principles of the policy won't change but it will be re-worked to look at the language and make it easier to understand.
Barriers to Being Open
The need to get patient safety into ‘World Class Commissioning' (Department of Health) was briefly discussed.
It was felt that PCTs should monitor Being Open as a quality point.
The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) Circular, Apologies and Explanations, was considered to be confusing and encourages using "expressions of regret" which makes it less likely for staff to offer a full apology. It also notes "Clinicians and managers should exercise care in disseminating explanations so as to avoid future litigation risks..." This was not felt to be in the spirit of Being Open by Patient Safety Champions and not acceptable to patients and their families or carers.
Click here for the full notes of this training day together with suggestions on what Patient Safety Champions can do to promote Being Open (file opens in Microsoft Word).
