Patient Safety Specialists celebrating the completion of the National Patient Safety Syllabus Training

Summary

On Wednesday 19 March 2025, over 280 healthcare staff in England attended the first ever Patient Safety Specialists event to celebrate completion of the National Patient Safety Syllabus training. 

Claire Morgan, Patient Safety Specialist, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, reflects on the day.

Content

Over 280 healthcare staff in England attended the first ever Patient Safety Specialists (PSSs) event to celebrate completion of the National Patient Safety Syllabus training. With a further 203 graduates across England, these were the first ever cohort of PSSs to have passed the NHS Patient Safety Syllabus Levels 3 and 4.

This historical event was held at Hollywell Park Conference Centre on the impressive campus of Loughborough University in the heart of Leicestershire. The sun shone and, despite the Government’s announcement to dissolve NHS England (NHSE) the week before, many of the delegates saw true reason to celebrate with this first event driving patient safety in England.

The Faculty at Loughborough, headed by Professor Mike Fray, celebrated with us our success and a welcome introduction was given by Professor Nick Jennings the Vice Chancellor of Loughborough University.

Lessons shared

To start the morning, Professor Sue Hignett shared the insights from almost 500 PSSs’ videos that had been submitted as our final coursework. Lessons shared included:

• Changing the safety approach in terms of Safety II and human factors and ergonomics (HFE) principles.
• Embedding the Just Restorative Culture.
• Using safety science tools.
• Developing and using common language.
• Engaging with Patient Safety Partners.
• Promoting the PSSs.
• Considering IT design and usability.
• Procuring and designing medical devices and buildings.
• Applying the 'hierarchy of controls' for actions.
• Reviewing policies, procedures, guidelines using safety science tools.

In addition, pre-event survey results collected from the delegates included an impressive array of ideas on what support they need, including:

• Future continuing professional development (CPD).
• Formation of a support network.
• Governance and advocacy on roles of PSS for organisations.

 Their ideas for the next steps included:

• Application of learning in sharing knowledge.
• PSS role development and recognition.
• Culture and practice.
• System level collaboration impact.

Reflections on the course

Presenting next were six PSSs, chosen from different healthcare sectors, to reflect on the course in terms of take-aways, personal growth and organisational impact, including threats and opportunities. I was asked to present on behalf of an Acute Trust and my organisation the Royal London Hospital, Barts Health Trust.

With similarities to the other presenters, I extolled the virtue of the practical nature of the Loughborough course, affording participants the opportunity to the test the tools and methods that we had been introduced to throughout the five courses. Personal growth was often focussed on with the unique PSS network and ‘specialist’ expertise now gained. The impact, including opportunities and challenges on the variety of organisations operating within the varied and complex socioeconomic healthcare system that we work in, became apparent. 

Professor Thomas Jun then gave the opportunity for section-specific smaller group discussions. Delegates agreed that undertaking the Levels 3 and 4 of the Patient Safety Syllabus was no mean feat for most participants. The course adopted a blended learning approach of 100 hours online and five in-person days delivered conveniently around the country.

There were five courses, with a number of modules, and six assignments applied to ‘Wicked’ problems to submit, requiring application of tools and methods introduced. 

Appointment of at least one PSS is a requirement for NHS organisations in England. Once nominated by our Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), we started the course in November 2023 working towards a deadline of  December 2024, with many of us admitting to spending much of our own time working towards the goal. Most of us will never forget the legendary hospitality and encouragement of the Loughborough Faculty and those at the Health Service Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) on the five in-person days of the course.

Looking forward

After a welcome lunch at Hollywell House, we were invited to explore future opportunities in PSS training both from Ben Peachey, CEO at the Chartered Institute in Ergonomics and Human Factors, and Professor Mike Fray at Loughborough. Dr Robert Pralat who has been conducting research into the role of Patient Safety Partners and Specialists updated us on the NIHR research led by THIS institute at the University of Cambridge.

Finally, a discussion panel facilitated by Thomas was convened between Professor Ramani Moonesinghe (the interim NHSE Patient Safety Director), Dr Helen Vosper (HSSIB education team), Helen Keynes (Head of Quality and Patient Safety at NHSE) and Professor Jay Banerjee (Emergency Physician and Quality Improvement Fellow Leicester). This allowed interesting and thought provoking discussion on the future of patient safety.

Professor Mike Fray finished the day with a running display of the 483 PSSs' names to a positive music accompaniment bringing finale to a great day.

Personal reflections

I personally see PSSs as the golden thread of patient safety throughout England and these 483 PSSs should be encouraged to take this movement forward by whatever replaces NHSE. They must lead, challenge and champion patient safety in their organisations and beyond. The benefit of improving patient safety is supported by science, with patients at the forefront; Martha’s Rule empowers patients, their parents and carers to challenge where concerns are not listened to. The impact of compassionate engagement of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) for patients and staff involved in patient safety incidents from personal perspectives must be spearheaded. The value of organisational cultural benefits and reputations, along with the potential financial impact of improving patient safety in healthcare, cannot be underestimated. 

Finally, thank you Aidan Fowler, the previous Director of Patient Safety at NHSE, and all those at NHSE involved in writing the Patient Safety Strategy in 2019, which introduced the National Patient Safety Syllabus and the concept of a PSS. I also want to thank the authors of the National Patient Safety Syllabus at the Academy of Royal Colleges of Medicine, what was Health Education England, the Loughborough Faculty for delivering,  NHSE for sponsoring and, of course, the healthcare organisations and their CEOs for supporting all 483 of us through our journey. 

Acknowledgement: Thank you Thomas for your input into this blog.