Learn from patient safety events (LFPSE) service data principles (July 2021)

Summary

The purpose of the Learn from patient safety events (LFPSE) service (previously known during development as the Patient Safety Incident Management System - PSIMS) is to enable learning from patient safety events – incidents, risks, outcomes of concern and also things that went well. Our ability to protect future patients from harm depends on promoting a culture that welcomes and encourages the recording of events. It is essential to abide by these principles to ensure that we continue to successfully learn from patient safety events and reduce harm.

This document sets out the circumstances in which LFPSE data are the appropriate data source to be used and describes their appropriate use.

These principles emphasise the purpose and characteristics of LFPSE data, and promote consistency across data users. It is essential that users of LFPSE data understand and represent it appropriately, as inappropriate presentations of LFPSE data could discourage recording.