The importance of non-patient facing NHS services in patient safety (HSIB, 19 July 2023)

Summary

When many people think about NHS services they often think about clinical staff, such as doctors or nurses, and how they deliver care and interact with patients and families.

However, in the context of patient safety, there is often more to see ‘behind-the-scenes’ in non-patient facing services. These services may be less visible, but they play a vital part in ensuring patient safety. Understanding the importance of these services, and how they are crucial to the ability of the NHS to operate effectively, is often underestimated.

In this blog for the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), National Investigators Russ Evans and Craig Hadley highlight how 'behind-the-scenes' services are crucial to help the NHS operate effectively and safely.