The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA), in association with the NHS Confederation and NHS Appointments Commission, has published a factsheet that includes a list of seven questions, with supporting guidance, that might usefully be asked by NHS board members to help ensure as part of their role in ensuring the care given in the organisations they govern is safe and risks are reduced.
The seven questions are:
Question 1: Does everyone understand the importance of patient safety?
Question 2: Do we really have an open and fair culture?
Question 3. Are we actively encouraging reporting of incidents?
Question 4. Do we get the right information?
Question 5. Are we always open when things go wrong?
Question 6. Do we learn from patient safety incidents?
Question 7. Are we actively implementing national guidance and safety alerts?
The full factsheet can be freely downladed here.
