21.03.16
First chief investigator of Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch to be in post by summer
The first chief investigator of a new independent NHS safety inspection service should be in post by summer, Dr Mike Durkin, director of patient safety at NHS England, has said.
Writing for the Department of Health, Dr Durkin reveals more about the process of creating the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), which was announced by the health secretary this month at the Global Patient Safety Summit last month.
Dr Durkin says the Expert Advisory Group tasked with developing the HSIB have gathered evidence from patients, families and staff at events, online and via a survey, and received over 800 responses.
The main recommendations included that investigations be as independent as possible, subject to internal and external scrutiny and with patients and their families at the heart, that the HSIB should focus on learning from safety incidents in the NHS and investigating system-wide failures and that accessing the results of investigations should be easier.
Dr Durkin also says that many patients and staff said that participating in an investigation can be a lonely and stressful experience, with people often afraid of significant personal consequences, and that more must be done to help those taking part.
He also said that the HSIB’s name was changed from the Independent Patient Safety Investigation Service following feedback.
The chief investigator role, with an estimated salary of £131,301, is being advertised now.
(Image c. Peter Byrne)