Every day, over a million people are safely treated in the NHS. But sometimes, things don’t go as planned. These are called patient safety incidents.
A patient safety incident is something that happens by accident and might hurt a patient or could have hurt them. Some of these incidents are small, and some can be more serious.
To help deal with these incidents, the NHS started using a new plan in April 2024.One of the most important parts of that plan is called the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF).
This plan explains how the NHS will look into these incidents and learn from them, so they can stop them from happening again.
You can find out more by watching this video:
Our PSIRF Plan shows the most important areas we’re focusing on to keep patients safe. We make sure every incident is looked into properly and we learn lessons from it.
More information can be found in our PSIRF Policy.
We always follow the Duty of Candour, which means we are open and honest when something goes wrong. We will always tell patients and families what happened and what we are doing about it.We will offer to involve you in looking at what went wrong, what we can learn and how we can prevent the same thing happening again in the future.
Our Patient Safety Partners
Our Patient Safety Partners (PSPs) help make healthcare safer by sharing what they know from being patients themselves. They often have experience using different NHS services, or they may have been harmed in the past by mistakes in care. Because of this, they can help us learn how to avoid future problems and find better ways to keep patients safe.
PSPs give a fresh point of view that isn’t shaped by how things have always been done. They help make sure the patient’s voice is heard, creating a system that focuses more on what patients need and how to keep them safe.
Carol Ward
Carol Ward has deep connections with the NHS, making her an ideal individual for the Patient Safety Partner role. Not only does she have firsthand experience as a patient at UHL, but she also has an NHS career spanning more than 50 years.
Carol knows both the flaws and the strengths of the NHS, given her extensive experience, first as a nurse and then later in a series of senior management roles in quality improvement and staff development.
“Having been on the other side as both a patient and a staff member, you see it through different eyes. I like that I can bring my experience of looking through a patient’s lens and understanding the challenges faced by my local hospitals. Being able to contribute feels like I’m giving back.”
Carol Ward
Carol sees her role as more than just advisory – it’s about partnerships. She continued: “I’m not here as a representative but as a partner. This will take some time to establish, but our voices and experiences are critical in shaping the future of patient safety at our local hospitals.”
Beyond her work and experience in patient safety, Carol also takes pride in her rich and fulfilling personal life. She has been married to Fiona for 10 years and is a parent, grandparent, and passionate Leicester City fan. Carol also represents diversity in her communities as one of the founding members of Foxes Pride, alongside previously promoting diversity and inclusion in the NHS leadership programme. Carol strongly believes that establishing partnerships and promoting the importance of inclusivity in patient care matters.
As part of the PSP team, Carol is now helping to shape the way we ensure our hospitals are safe for patients. She said: “We are the voice for patients, the local community, and colleagues, to help strengthen a patient-centred approach for safer and quality patient care.”
The wealth of knowledge Carol brings to UHL is incredible. After completing a master’s degree in business administration at the University of Warwick, Carol continued to support the NHS and other public sectors, working in a consultative role for 20 years. For the last 8 years of her career, she was a senior lecturer on the NHS Leadership Academy Masters in NHS Leadership programme at the University of Birmingham.
In August 2024, we welcomed our first Patient Safety Partners (PSPs). These dedicated individuals, who can volunteer up to 15 hours a month, play a key role in our Trust’s safety planning. They serve as the voice of our patients and local community across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.