How to create local safety standards for invasive procedures (LocSSIPs) by engaging the team in patient safety

Summary

National safety standards for invasive procedures (NatSSIPs), published by NHS England in 2015, recommend the creation and implementation of local safety standards for all invasive procedures. This includes procedures undertaken outside a hospital environment, such as surgical procedures undertaken by dentists. In order to implement a local safety standard for invasive procedures (LocSSIP) for oral surgery procedures at a large London teaching hospital, a clean sheet redesign of our service was carried out based on a bottom up model of transformation, using a 'diagnose, design and implement' strategy.

In an article  published in the British Dental Journal, three lead consultants in oral surgery based at Kings College, London, discuss creating local safety standards for invasive procedures.

Content

Key points of the paper:

• Suggests national safety standards for invasive procedures (NatSSIPs) should be read and acted on by all invasive procedure teams, including dentists.

• Highlights that involvement of all staff in development of a local safety standard for invasive procedures is important to ensure a policy that is successful in improving patient safety in your workplace.

• Suggests the whole dental team should take responsibility for continually improving patient safety.