Developing the Patient Safety Partner role (a presentation shared by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, October 2024)

Summary

Embedding the Patient Safety Partner role has been approached differently by different Trusts and organisations. In this presentation, Patient Safety Engagement Manager, Lea Tiernan talks about how they have worked hard to  develop the role at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in a meaningful and strategic way.

Lea is joined by Armine Afrikian, a Patient Safety Partner to explain more about:

• their five Patient Safety Partners
• how they have developed the role
• workstreams
• highlights
• challenges
• the Patient Safety Engagement Manager role.

Content

Join the Patient Safety Partners Network

In June 2023, Patient Safety Learning established the Patient Safety Partners Network. The network meets monthly in a virtual capacity and now include more than 150 Patient Safety Partners.

These meetings provide a supportive and safe space to:

• discuss the barriers and opportunities
• share successes
• discuss how they can use their collective voice to make a difference for patient safety.

Only Patient Safety Partners working with NHS organisations in England can join, although experts are often invited to present or discuss specific topics.

If you are a Patient Safety Partner, you can find out more about the Patient Safety Partner Network, and how to join here.

If you would like to attend a Patient Safety Partners Network meeting as a guest speaker, please contact us at [email protected].

Related reading

• Patient Safety Partners: examples of impact: Speaking to members of the Patient Safety Partners Network, as well as a manager of five Patient Safety Partners, we hear how their work is having a positive influence on patient safety.
• The voice of the patient safety frontline: Chris Wardley, Patient Safety Partner at a large NHS hospital trust, introduces the Patient Safety Partners Network (PSPN). 
• Patient Safety Partners – lack of role clarity a barrier for impact: this shares insights from areas of good practice, where the role has been well support and integrated locally. These examples show how clarity and guidance has helped to remove barriers, enabling PSPs to have a positive impact for patient safety, as intended.
• Patient Safety Partners: recruitment and induction: the knowledge captured in this blog provides guidance to anyone involved in embedding the Patient Safety Partner role within their organisation. It also includes advice for Patient Safety Partners to help them navigate their new role, settle in and have a positive influence on patient safety.
• Patient Safety Partners: influencing for safety: this includes some suggested approaches and actions that Patient Safety Partners and trusts might take to help the role have greater influence and impact.
• Developing the Patient Safety Partner role: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust share their approach: an interview with Lea Tiernan, Patient Safety Engagement Manager at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, about how they have developed and embedded the Patient Safety Partner role. Lea explains what they have done practically to support those starting out in the role and to integrate them at a strategic level.