The North West Coast Academic Health Science Network (NWC AHSN) is spearheading a campaign to improve patient safety across NHS trusts in the region as part of a nationwide scheme, led by the 15 AHSNs in England.

The Patient Safety Collaborative (PSC) is a national NHS initiative set up to ensure patient safety remains as the number one priority, reducing avoidable harm, saving lives for the NHS and to drive improvements in the sector. The North West Coast AHSN will oversee the strategy and delivery of the programme across the region.

Each AHSN will lead on different areas towards improving the safety of patients and enabling continual improvement in the healthcare sector. As agreed by key stakeholders across the North West Coast, the NWC AHSN will focus on four key clinical safety priorities: medicines optimisation; sepsis; transition from paediatric to adult care and hydration including acute kidney injury. Measurement and leadership will be key features of each PSC.

Dr Liz Mear, chief executive at the North West Coast AHSN said:

“To offer the best care and continue to ensure that patient safety remains as the most critical priority for NHS trusts in the North West, we must take a collaborative approach. By forming this partnership, which will work with Boards and front line staff from across the health, social care and private sector, we hope to significantly reduce avoidable harm to patients and improve care.

“This partnership builds on the solid foundations which have already been developed in the region. From this strong starting point, we’re aiming to better understand and prevent issues which may affect patient safety”.

The NWC AHSN will work collaboratively drawing on the expertise and experience of existing key regional organisations in the delivery of the scheme, including HealthWatch’s who represent residents, Edge Hill University, the Advancing Quality Alliance (AQuA) and Haelo, the Innovation and Improvement Science Centre.

AQuA, will use its extensive experience in patient safety to lead on training for health service employees. It has already assisted thousands of employees by teaching improvement techniques for better care. The PSC programme will raise patient safety copability and train professionals in new quality and safety improvement methods as well as introducing effective processes to ensure sustained improvement.

Haelo will be working collaboratively with key stakeholders across the North West Coast to develop a measurement strategy and safety dashboard to assist the NHS with measurement and improvement in relation to patient safety harms.

Edge Hill University will monitor the effectiveness of the PSC programme, using advanced data mapping. It will also provide support on the development and evaluation of the project. The University will also develop e-learning material for each of the clinical safety priorities: medicines optimisation; sepsis; transition from paediatric to adult care and hydration including acute kidney injury, in order to raise capability.

The NWC AHSN is committed to the programme and has appointed Aly Hulme, an Associate Director – Patient Safety Collaborative who will provide the leadership for the PSC across the North West Coast. In order to oversee the programme’ s strategy and key deliverables a patient safety governance forum has been set up which is chaired by Kathy Bullock CEO, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

If anyone is interested in getting involved with the Patient Safety Collaborative, contact Aly Hulme on 01772 512303 or Aly.Hulme@nwcahsn.nhs.uk