Patient Safety Partners: a toolkit of resources

Summary

The Patient Safety Partner (PSP) role was introduced in 2022 by NHS England as part of its Framework for involving patients in patient safety and National Patient Safety Strategy. Patient Safety Partners can be patients, carers or members of the public who want to support and contribute to an organisation’s governance and management processes for patient safety.

This webpage brings together a toolkit of resources, designed to share insights and information about the Patient Safety Partner role. 

It will be particularly useful for:

• Patient Safety Partners.
• Managers of Patient Safety Partners.
• Organisations who have not yet introduced the role.
• People that are interested in patient engagement and patient safety.

Content

The Patient Safety Partner Network

The Patient Safety Partners Network is a group of Patient Safety Partners, in both paid and voluntary roles within NHS organisations. First set up in 2023, the network is supported by Patient Safety Learning and has now grown to over 150 members. Meetings take place monthly and provide a psychologically safe space for peers to discuss any challenges, successes and opportunities for the role. Occasionally Patient Safety Partners invite speakers and this can inform discussions as well as influence policy.

If you are a Patient Safety Partner, you can find out more about the Patient Safety Partner Network, and how to join here (it’s free). Patient Safety Partners can also join the Patient Safety Management Network, which again is free. Members of the networks have access to a private space on the hub, where they are able to share and view resources, read the meeting notes and have conversations with peers between meetings.

Early impact of the role

Patient Safety Partners: examples of impact: In this blog, we speak to members of the Patient Safety Partners Network, as well as a manager of five Patient Safety Partners, and hear how their work is having a positive influence on patient safety.

Spotlight on Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

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. 

Watch an 18 minute video presentation where Lea Tiernan and Patient Safety Partner, Armine Afrikian, talk about how they have worked hard to develop the role at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in a meaningful and strategic way:

Insight sharing: successes and barriers

How do Patient Safety Partners feel about their role? Analysis of online survey results: Patient Safety Partners Anne Rouse and Chris Wardley and Patient Safety Learning’s Chief Executive, Helen Hughes, examine the results of a recent survey of Patient Safety Partners. The results reveal significant variation in how the role is being implemented in NHS organisations in England.

Patient Safety Partners – lack of role clarity a barrier for impact: 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 Patient Safety Partners to have a positive impact for patient safety, as intended.

Patient Safety Partners: recruitment and induction: 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: Includes some suggested approaches and actions that Patient Safety Partners and trusts might take to help the role have greater influence and impact.

Patient Safety Spotlight Interview with Mark Smith, National Patient Safety Partner and South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust: Mark explains the important role that PSPs play at national, regional and local levels of the healthcare system and identifies key opportunities and challenges they face in bringing the voice of patients and families at a strategic level.

Patient Safety Partners - A workshop at Kingston Hospital: Summary of a workshop for Patient Safety Partners at the Kingston NHS Foundation Trust.

The insights in the above articles are drawn from various sources including Patient Safety Partner Network discussions and a recent workshop co-run with AQUA and kindly hosted by the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) at their Birmingham Office.

Blogs authored by Patient Safety Partners

 Individual Patient Safety Partners are also sharing their insights and personal reflections via the hub.

• 'Safety cases' in the NHS – the example of hospital capacity: A blog by Norman MacLeod
• East London NHS Foundation Trust: World Patient Safety Day – Improving diagnosis for patient safety (16 September 2024)Post
• SSRI Sexual Dysfunction: After 30 years, why is the health system still failing to recognise this life-limiting adverse effect?
• Supporting veterans and their dependants in primary care

We hope this will lead to greater awareness of the role, the challenges and impact, and encourage interest from clinicians, patient safety leads and potential Patient Safety Partners. If you would like to contribute a to the hub, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or read our guide to writing a blog.

NHS links and resources

• The NHS Patient Safety Strategy
• Framework for involving patients in patient safety
• Compassionate Communication, Meaningful Engagement
• The Primary Care Patient Safety Strategy

You’ll need to be logged in to the NHS Futures platform to access the below resources:

• Enabling PSP inclusion and enhancing diversity
• National PSP remuneration and expenses step by step 
• National Patient Safety team PSP FAQs 
• National PSP Mentor Handbook 
• National PSP mentors training and resources guide
• PSP Wellbeing Plan

Attachments:

Involvement Payment and Expenses – a guide for Patient Safety Partners and patient safety team programme areas:

20230721PSP_PPVremunerationandexpenses(2).pdf

Patient safety partner frequently asked questions (FAQs):

230802NationalPSPFAQsver2.3(2).pdf

Newsletters

• Patient Safety Partners bulletin – a monthly bulletin produced by NHS England
• Patient leadership newsletter
• NHS England e-mail bulletins page
• Preventable Deaths Tracker

Share your insights

Are you involved in introducing Patient Safety Partners to your organisation? Or perhaps you are a recently appointed Patient Safety Partner? Did you find this toolkit useful?  What other information would help you?

If you'd like to share your feedback, or your insights on the Patient Safety Partner role, you can comment below (sign up here first - it's free to join the hub), or you can contact us at [email protected].