Self-harm risk of patients under continuous observation in hospital wards
Our latest investigation has found ‘limited evidence’ that the current approach to continuous obser…
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The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) is committed to working with a wide range of patients, patient groups and other stakeholders. This public consultation was an opportunity to engage, and shape our strategy and investigation criteria.
We welcomed comments from all stakeholders, along with any other suggestions for improvement.
What we consulted on
As HSSIB came into operation on 1 October 2023 one of the key priorities for us was to develop a new strategy, outlining our long-term goals and themes that underpin our objectives.
Strategy
This consultation asked for views from stakeholders, patients, and the public on HSSIB’s new strategy. HSSIB consulted on the strategy’s mission, vision statement and themes.
To inform HSSIB’s thinking about how the strategy should develop, a series of pre-consultation engagement activities were undertaken. This included a structured survey, as well as independently facilitated focus groups. This was conducted during February 2024. HSSIB thanks all those that took part. The feedback received was used to inform the development of the strategy.
Investigation criteria
In addition, we asked for your views on HSSIB's investigation criteria. The criteria is designed to allow assessment across the available evidence, extent of risk and potential for improving care provision. It sets out the criteria and principles for HSSIB investigations.
In December 2022, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) commissioned the development of guidance and new interim criteria for launching investigations to enable the Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB), when established, to maximise its impact in helping the NHS and wider sector to learn from independent investigations.
The proposed HSSIB investigation criteria were developed as part of this guidance. They were developed by information gathered from a literature search, re-visiting source documents which described the national investigation body, developing case studies, reviewing internal documentation, virtual co-design focus groups with staff, carrying out a stakeholder analysis and analysis of a sample of national investigation reports, and meetings and interviews.
Information fed into HSSIB through stakeholder insights, horizon scanning, prevention of future death reports, direct patient safety concerns from patients, families, carers and healthcare staff are assessed using the proposed selection criteria. The investigation criteria are used to inform decision-making about those patient safety risks which will be selected for national investigations. The criteria include: systemic risk, potential impact, health disparities, added vale/unexplored territory, potential for improvement, feasibility. The criteria have been piloted from April 2023 to present and new governance arrangements have been implemented.
Consultation outcome
Thank you to those who took part in this consultation. The outcome of the consultation will be published in summer 2024.