Voices for Safety podcast: Enhancing safety culture in healthcare (March 2025)

Summary

In this episode of Voices for Safety, Dr Louise Gorman dives deep into the crucial topic of safety culture in health and social care with two leading researchers from the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC), Professor Nicola Mackintosh and Dr Jennifer Creese. Together, they explore how organisational culture impacts patient safety and the importance of fostering a healthy, psychologically safe environment for healthcare staff. From useful resources to the barriers staff face in speaking up about safety concerns, they unpack the complexities of safety culture through research, real-world examples, and their unique approach to improving workplace environments.

The conversation leads to an exploration of how enhancing safety culture is essential to improving patient safety. By creating supportive environments that empower staff to speak up, healthcare organisations can better manage risks and provide safer, higher-quality care.