Patient safety insights

We listen to people to understand patient safety concerns and experiences. These patient safety insights help us to decide what we investigate.

We do this in several ways:

• Direct contact with patients and families.
• Regular contact with national organisations including the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
• Direct engagement with NHS and healthcare staff.
• Access to healthcare safety reporting systems.
• Regular contact with organisations that represent patients.

Direct contact with patients and families

We hear directly from patients and families about their experiences and concerns related to their care. Find out what we can investigate and tell us about a patient safety concern.

Regular contact with national organisations

We have regular conversations with NHS England, national regulators and other organisations with regulatory influence. We also hear from professional bodies, commissioners and service providers.

Direct engagement with NHS and healthcare staff

We also hear from healthcare staff working in a range of NHS and independent provider services about concerns related to the provision of care or conditions at work which may impact on patient safety. Find out what we can investigate and tell us about a patient safety concern.

Access to healthcare safety reporting systems

We hear about patient safety concerns through patient safety incident reporting systems, for example, the Learn from Patient Safety Events (LFPSE) service or the MHRA Yellow Card system.

Regular contact with organisations who represent patients

We have regular conversations with organisations including Healthwatch, Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA), the Patients Association, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and others.