The Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) has today (14 October) launched a Patient Safety Collaborative, part of a national network designed to put quality care at the heart of all contact with patients.
Achieving safe healthcare has the potential to bring very great benefits to patients, families and all involved in the delivery of care.
Oxford AHSN Chief Executive Prof Gary A Ford CBE said: “Patient safety is a priority for all partner organisations within the Oxford Academic Health Science Network.
“Our new Patient Safety Collaborative has a vital role to play in bringing together existing work, developing new programmes, coordinating patient safety initiatives and evaluating their impact to make sure that patients receive safe, high quality care whenever and wherever they are seen and whatever treatment they receive.”
Many safety initiatives are already under way in the Oxford AHSN region – in acute NHS hospitals, community and mental health settings and in the patient’s home. The organisations involved in this work include NHS trusts, care homes, local authorities, care commissioning groups, industry, universities and pre-existing collaboratives and federations.
The Oxford AHSN has produced a document which showcases examples of the work to enhance safety already established in our region based on priorities determined by patients, families and NHS staff.
The Oxford Academic Health Science Network Patient Safety Collaborative (PSC) – one of 15 PSCs covering the country – will initially focus on a small number of clinical programmes but also act as an umbrella and coordinator for the many important patient safety initiatives – both practice and research – within Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire. The principal aims of the PSC will be to:
- Develop safety from its present narrow focus on hospital medicine to embrace the entire patient pathway
- Develop and sustain clinical safety improvement programmes within the Oxford AHSN
- Develop initiatives to build safer clinical systems across the Oxford AHSN
- Collaborate and support sister safety programmes both nationally and internationally.
Early priorities are:
- The active engagement of patients and carers
- The development of a safety information system for the PSC
- Establishment and support of programmes on acute kidney injury, medication safety, pressure ulcers and safety in mental health
- Developing capacity and capability in leadership for safety improvement.
Further information: charles.vincent@psy.ox.ac.uk