When Learning from Deaths doesn’t really learn: Research summary by Dr Zoe Brummell

Summary

Families affected by a loved one’s death due to problems in healthcare often want what happened to be understood, acknowledged and for real change to occur. 

In 2017, the NHS in England introduced the Learning from Deaths programme. Its aim was simple: to ensure that when patients die, especially where problems in care may have contributed, organisations learn and improve. But nearly a decade on, an important question remains: Is the system truly learning and are families genuinely part of that process? 

Drawing on her research evaluating this national programme, Dr Zoe Brummell shares what she found and what it means for families.