• What does safety look like at a system level?

    Dr Cheryl Crocker, AHSN Network Patient Safety Director, took part in a round table event hosted by Aqua to consider the question: What does safety look like at a system level? The event was chaired by Professor Ted Baker, former Chief Inspector at the CQC and Chair of the Health Service Safety Investigations Body with [...]

  • National Patient Safety Improvement Programme progress report

    The NHS England patient safety team has released its quarter 3, 2022/23 progress report. The report provides the latest information on how AHSNs are supporting health and care services to improve safety in these areas: Managing deterioration Mental health Medicines safety System safety Maternity and neonatal Read the progress report here.  

  • Patient Safety Collaboratives working to reduce restrictive practice in mental health settings

    The Patient Safety Collaboratives (PSCs) have been working to deliver a programme aimed at reducing restrictive practice in mental health in-patient settings. Work is underway with 14% of all NHS mental health, learning disability and autism wards across England, which equates to 172 wards. Reductions in restrictive practice use in now being seen in a [...]

  • AHSN Network celebrates five years of cerebral palsy protection for premature babies

    The AHSN Network is celebrating the five-year anniversary of magnesium sulphate being introduced to reduce the incidence of brain injury and cerebral palsy in preterm infants. Thanks to the continued commitment of every perinatal team in England, more than 16,000 preterm babies and their families have benefitted. Patient Safety Collaboratives (PSCs), commissioned by NHS England [...]

  • Preparing to implement the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework

    Dr Cheryl Crocker, AHSN Network Patient Safety Director, discusses how Patient Safety Collaboratives (hosted by the AHSN Network) are supporting ICSs and ICBs in preparations to implement the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework.   NHS England published the new Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) in August 2022 outlining how NHS organisations should respond to [...]

  • Supporting people to manage long-term pain without opioids

    A blog from Dr Cheryl Crocker, AHSN Network Patient Safety Director, describing how Patient Safety Collaboratives (hosted by the AHSN Network) are supporting people to manage their long-term pain and reduce the harmful effects of opioid medication.   Opioids are highly effective medications and, when used judiciously for a time-limited period, can greatly benefit many [...]

  • Updated health and wellbeing resources launched

    A growing focus on wellbeing has led people to be more aware of their physical and mental health. The AHSN Network has updated its wellbeing resource to include a selection of new materials to support the wellbeing of you and your team. From physical exercise and creativity to emotional resilience and the power of kindness, [...]

  • Patient Safety Collaboratives have engaged almost 11,000 care homes in improvement programme

    Patient Safety Collaboratives (PSCs) have engaged nearly 11,000 care homes over the last two years, in an NHS England commissioned programme designed to help support care homes in managing deterioration. Their role is to support care homes in adopting tools that help staff to identify the early signs of physical deterioration in residents. Over 7,000 [...]

  • National State of Patient Safety 2022: What we know about avoidable harm in England

    The National State of Patient Safety 2022 report was produced by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation. Patient Safety Watch, a charity founded by the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, provided support, making the report possible. The continuous improvement of patient safety is a priority for all modern healthcare systems. Improvements can come [...]