Simon Mathias
My interest in Patient Safety stems from two personal experiences; the first, when the GP refused to believe my son was ill and he was later admitted to hospital with pneumonia at the age of 9 months. The second was when my wife was pregnant with our 2nd child and the specialist registrar was writing the notes for her to be induced the following day. The consultant had already decided she was due for an elective caesarean.
Whilst these may not seem like major traumas they are significant incidents and near misses in the patient journey and contact with health care professionals.
Furthermore, I have experience in supporting patients and carers in making approaches to the NHS to complain regarding the service they have received.
My first career was in the NHS in a clinical role where I witnessed a number of incidents that could have been so easily prevented through better communication. I now work on issues of management behaviour, conflict and disputes.
I am currently representing the patient / public on UK Clinical Research Collaboration and the Medicines for Children Research Network. The vision I have is for the patient journey to be as comfortable as possible, supported by high quality communication. If near misses and incidents do happen then honest and trustworthy communication is undertaken and learning achieved.