Redefine healthcare as safety critical industry


The creation of an independent body to investigate serious patient safety incidents in England can only work effectively if healthcare is redefined as a safety critical industry, says the RCN nursing union. 


RCN director of nursing, policy and practice Dame Professor Donna Kinnair, said in evidence to a parliamentary committee that the Health Services Safety Investigation Bill (HSSIB) in its current form put too much emphasis on blaming individuals. 


“To improve patient safety, HSSIB investigations must root out the true cause of errors including systematic failures by government and agencies,” she said. “With staffing levels on many shifts below recommended safety guidelines, it is unjust, and potentially misleading to emphasise individual blame when systems and procedures are at fault.”


https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/joint-select/draft-health-service-safety-investigations-bill/news/hssib-launch-17-19

https://nursingnotes.co.uk/healthcare-redefined-safety-critical-industryrcn