Lead Researcher: Josephine Ocloo
Programme Director: Professor Naomi Fulop
Aims
This project will investigate the nature of patient and public involvement in patient safety, identifying examples of user involvement in other areas of the public services, outside of health, and looking at what models exist for different levels and types of participation. This will be done by:-
- Undertaking a mapping exercise at Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KCH) investigating what current opportunities exist for involving patient and public governors and members at KCH in quality and patient safety; what type and level of involvement of these groups already exists in quality and patient safety; what barriers exist in preventing the involvement of these groups in quality and patient safety.
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Helping KCH develop a strategy for implementation of Recommendation 8 of Safety First. Published by the Chief Medical Officer in 2006 to develop a national approach to addressing patient safety concerns in the NHS, Recommendation 8 states; ‘Accountability for patient safety rests with the Chair and Board of each NHS organisation. Each Board should therefore be expected to outline how it intends to discharge this responsibility… also make clear how it intends to ensure that patients and carers play an integral part in all initiatives to introduce a patient safety culture change within the NHS’ .
Why is this important?
The need to develop a patient safety culture in the NHS has been driven by a number of high profile inquiries into failings of clinical care over the last ten years. Central to these inquiries has been the notion of developing better systems of leadership and governance in the future to ensure that patients receive safe and high quality care.
As part of the Government’s agenda to modernise the NHS and create new services that properly fulfil patient needs, policy documents have also stressed the need to involve patients and the public in healthcare as a way of improving performance. The project will look at how patients and the public can become involved in patient safety and quality at KCH, try to increase the level and quality of involvement, and identify any issues that make involvement difficult.
Participants
Research will be carried out at KCH by working with governors, members and staff as co-researchers. Information will be gathered through interviews with selected staff, patients and the public, and by asking a selection of patients and the public to participate in activities.
Anticipated outcomes
- Gain a better understanding of the current levels of involvement of governors and members in patient safety and quality at KCH.
- Map out opportunities for further involvement in this area.
- Develop a strategy for longer term involvement through implementation of Recommendation 8 of Safety First. This will provide an opportunity for developing wider good practice in this area in other parts of the NHS.
- Disseminate findings at conferences and in academic journals. Publish initial findings by May 2009.
