BMJ Opinion: Awareness of human factors is a key part of healthcare regulation (February 2020)

Summary

Human factors are of pivotal importance to both patient safety and doctors’ wellbeing, says Peter Brennan and Tista Chakravarty-Gannon in this BMJ Opinion article.

In this article they highlight what the General Medical Council (GMC) and other organisations are doing to support doctors to deliver good care for their patients through educational and support programmes, including the GMC’s new Professional Behaviours and Patient Safety Programmes (PBPS) being piloted across the UK. These programmes are designed to help improve doctors’ skills and confidence in addressing unprofessional behaviours.

These initiatives should reduce medical error, improve patient safety and professional welfare, as well as enhancing team working.