In my BLOG Post “Coding for Success future?” prompted by the DH publication “Liberating the NHS: Report of the arm’s- length review” that states “We propose to abolish the National Patient Safety Agency…” I was concerned, and continue to be so, that “…the drive to adopt AIDC to improve patient safety is not lost or ignored when the NPSA is abolished…” – because I believe implementation DOES improve patient safety, and there are numerous case studies from around the world that support this belief. And that’s why the Vision of my company, A.I.M. Consulting Ltd, is to “Improve patient safety on beep at a time”. [commercial over!]
BUT, my concern about the abolition of the NPSA goes way beyond my commercial interests…
A few years ago, when working for Johnson & Johnson Medical, a colleague called me an altruist… at the time he meant it as an insult, but I took it as a compliment! Altruism is the selfless concern for the welfare of others…
As a daughter, sister, partner, mother, friend, colleague, a human being, I do and will interact with the NHS and for my parents, brother, partner, daughter, friends, colleagues, other human beings (and myself!) I want those interactions to be as safe as possible.
The National Patient Safety Agency has worked diligently to improve patient safety in the NHS but a report released today by the charity Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) on the Implementation of Patient Safety Alerts issued by the NPSA shows those NHS Trusts who have not complied with Alerts! At best this is worrying, at worst it is appalling – peoples lives are at risk!
Is it going to get better? Not likely! Not only is the NHS under pressure to make savings, they are facing the changes outlined in Liberating the NHS: Report of the arm’s- length review and the abolition of the NPSA, amongst other Arms Length Bodies.
I hope that the publication of the AvMA report gets the publicity it deserves and any actions to safeguard the work of the NPSA and action (regulation?) to assure compliance to Patient Safety Alerts by all NHS bodies is put in place. Or, as stated in the report by Dr Stuart Gray (his Father’s death was caused by a massive overdose of Diamorphine), “Procedures must be put in place by the Department of Health to ensure complete compliance with the National Patient Safety Agency alerts by NHS bodies. And I would consider any death that… should occur through the failure to comply with a National Patient Safety Agency alert to be one of corporate manslaughter by the NHS body concerned.“ Hear, hear!