Patient safety networks

the hub at Patient Safety Learning hosts and supports a growing number of informal peer support networks. These are for people involved in patient safety, providing a forum for meeting up, discussing and sharing ideas and initiatives, and learning from others. The aim is to have private, safe community spaces on the hub for patient safety managers and everyone working in patient safety to come together, talk about key issues and take action where opportunity arises.

Currently the hub supports six networks, all of which are free to join when you sign up to the hub:

1. Patient Safety Management Network

This is an innovative network for patient safety managers and everyone working in patient safety. It has over 2000 members from more than 650 different organisations and holds weekly online drop-in sessions.

Membership is open to UK hub members who have an active patient safety role in a health or care service provider organisation. Read more.

2. Safer Surgery and Invasive Procedures Network

A group of over 1000 healthcare professionals aiming to reduce the number of patient safety incidents related to invasive procedures. The group meets every other month.

Membership is open to UK hub members who are healthcare professionals aiming to reduce the number of patient safety incidents related to invasive procedures.

3. Patient Safety Education Network

A peer network for those in patient safety education and training roles. It has over 700 members and meets once a month.

Membership is open to UK hub members involved in patient safety education/training in their organisations. The network excludes commercial training providers. Read more.

4. Patient Safety Partners Network

A group for Patient Safety Partners, in paid and voluntary roles within NHS organisations, whose role is to improve patient safety. It has over 200 members and meets once a month. 

Membership is open to UK hub members in a health or care service provider organisation who are in a Patient Safety Partner role. Read more

5. Patient Safety Paediatric Leaders Network

An invited network for anyone who is a strategic-level decision maker with a leadership responsibility for patient safety and/or quality in specialists children’s hospitals or units.

Membership is open to UK hub members who have a role that reports to a member of the Executive. They must have been nominated by their Chief Medical Officer or Chief Nursing Officer, and be committed to reducing avoidable harm and improving the quality and safety of paediatric care.

6. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) Specialists Network

An invited network for anyone in the UK who is a venous thromboembolism specialist.

How do I join?

You can join by signing up to the hub today. When putting in your details, please tick the relevant Network in the ‘Join a private group’ section. If you are already a member of the hub, please email [email protected]. 

What does it cost to join?

Nothing! The networks are supported by Patient Safety Learning, a charity and independent voice for patient safety. Patient Safety Learning helps organise the meetings, takes notes of the meetings for members that can’t attend, and maintains a private community for members on the hub (with copies of presentations, meeting notes, etc). Patient Safety Learning is hugely grateful to BD for their ongoing financial sponsorship (helping us resource the hub, as we receive no funds from the NHS for this), and AQUA for their support in helping write up the notes of the meetings.

I've joined, where do I find my network?

To be able to see and use the network you have joined, you will need to sign into the hub. Once signed in, you can access the networks you belong to from the hub homepage and see the latest meeting notes and conversations. The links below will also take you directly to the networks once signed in:

• Patient Safety Management Network 
• Safer Surgery and Invasive Procedures Network
• Patient Safety Education Network
• Patient Safety Partners Network
• Patient Safety Paediatric Leaders Network
• VTE Specialist Network

As a member, you can view the notes and presentations from meetings, ask a question, upload resources to share with other members and join in the conversations. If you have any difficulties, please email [email protected].

I'd like to set up a new network

If you or your organisation would like to use the hub to set up your own network, please email [email protected] and we'd be happy to discuss further.