Leading figures in health are celebrating ten years of a checklist for surgical teams which has saved countless lives and improved outcomes for patients in England and around the world. The Surgical Safety Checklist is a simple tool designed to improve communication and teamwork by bringing together the surgeons, anaesthesia providers and nurses involved in […]
A warning alert has been issued on the risk of harm from inappropriate placement of pulse oximeter probes. Patient Safety Alert – Risk of harm from inappropriate placement of pulse oximeter probes Measurement of oxygen saturation, using a pulse oximeter probe, is routinely undertaken as part of patients’ vital signs during diagnosis and ongoing monitoring. Oximeter probes […]
Proposals have been revealed today setting out how the NHS will ensure it is the safest healthcare system in the world. The commitment includes a proposal for some of the most important types of avoidable harm to patients to be halved over the next five years in areas such as medication errors and Never Events, […]
A resource Patient Safety Alert has been issued to help organisations ensure a safer system for the temporary identification of unidentified or unknown patients. Patient Safety Alert – Safer temporary identification criteria for unknown or unidentified patients Emergency departments often care for patients unable or unwilling to give their identity including people who are unconscious or […]
A resource Patient Safety Alert has been issued to support the management of life threatening bleeds from arteriovenous fistulae and grafts. Patient Safety Alert – Life threatening bleeds from arteriovenous fistulae and grafts Haemodialysis removes the waste products and extra fluid that build up in the blood of those whose kidneys no longer function properly and relies […]
New guidance for the NHS will help doctors, nurses and other staff use instant messaging safely to co-ordinate patients’ care during emergencies. Medics have turned to communication channels such as Whatsapp to deal with emergency situations like the Croydon tram crash, Grenfell Tower fire and terrorist attacks in London Bridge and Manchester Arena. The new […]
A resource Patient Safety Alert has been issued to support safe and timely management of hyperkalaemia (high level of potassium in the blood). Patient Safety Alert: Resources to support safe and timely management of hyperkalaemia The way the body responds to hyperkalaemia – a higher than normal level of potassium in the blood – is […]
A resource Patient Safety Alert has been issued to support safer provision of bowel care for patients at risk of autonomic dysreflexia. Patient Safety Alert – Resources to support safer bowel care for patients at risk of autonomic dysreflexia Patients with spinal cord injury or neurological conditions may have neurogenic bowel dysfunction, which often means […]
A resource alert has been issued to eliminate use of the imprecise term ‘soft diet’ and assist providers with safe transition to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework, which introduces standard terminology to describe texture modification for food and drink. Resources to support safer modification of food and drink Food texture modification is […]
Dr Aidan Fowler is to join NHS Improvement as NHS National Director of Patient Safety in July 2018. Reflecting the system-wide nature of the role, Dr Fowler will also be appointed as a Deputy Chief Medical Officer by the Chief Medical Officer and Department of Health and Social Care. Dr Fowler brings a wealth of […]