The Health Foundation

Citation

(2005), "The Health Foundation", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 18 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2005.06218aab.005

The Health Foundation

The Health FoundationHealth-care leaders outline steps for safer hospitals

Keywords: Health education, Quality, Leadership, Health and medicine, Research

The Health Foundation is an independent charity that aims to improve health and quality of healthcare for people of the UK. Through its programmes, activities and investments, the Health Foundation seeks out and supports leaders in health; promotes innovation in the delivery of health services; enhances the capacity for new knowledge through research; disseminates evidence for changing health policy and practice.

In a recent poll published by the Health Foundation and YouGov (online polling organisation) two thirds of healthcare leaders, say that better communication between staff and patients is a priority for improving patient safety. The poll surveyed over 500 senior NHS doctors, nurses and managers.

However, the survey reveals that patients are not routinely involved in activities to improve patient safety. Just under a third of respondents (30 per cent) reported that patients were not actively involved, and a further fifth (18 per cent) didn’t know whether patients were actively involved or not.

The poll is the most comprehensive survey of healthcare leaders’ attitudes to patient safety to date. It shows that more than nine in ten healthcare leaders think that improvements in patient safety are needed. Most respondents reported that patient safety is a high priority for their hospital, with half the sample placing it second or third as the most important issue for their organisation.

Asked what measures were most beneficial to improving patient safety, 80 per cent of healthcare leaders said creating an organisational culture that encourages reporting and avoids blame, and 73 per cent said placing more emphasis on infection control, including hand washing.

While healthcare leaders thought patient safety was a priority, almost three quarters of respondents underestimated the national death rate associated with breakdowns in patient safety. Nationwide, patient safety incidents – including medication errors, treatment errors and hospital infections – account for the deaths of an estimated 40,000 patients a year (equivalent to more than 110 deaths each day). Daily they account for more deaths than both road traffic accidents and accidents in the work place combined.

The Health Foundation commissioned the survey in advance of launching its won £4 million Safer Patients Initiative. Four acute hospitals will be selected in late November to participate in the programme.

For more information visit: www.health.org.uk