Health inequalities in patient safety, a blog by Dr Cian Wade (19 May 2021)

Summary

In this blog for NHS Providers, National medical director's clinical fellow Cian Wade writes about his work with the NHS Improvement national patient safety team on reducing healthcare inequalities.

Responding to commitments in the NHS Long Term Plan, this work focuses on two main areas:

1. Determining the extent and causes of unequal experiences of clinical harm among different patient groups. This involved working with patient groups and system leaders to map patient journeys that demonstrate how and why some patients are at heightened risk of harm.
2. Identifying areas for development that may help reduce health inequalities around patient safety. This second phase is in progress and involves gathering input on specific interventions that may reduce the risk of harm.