Discussion held on 1 March 2023

The NHS Patient Safety Strategy requires all safety-related clinical governance committees in NHS organisations to include two Patient Safety Partners, and for them to have received the required training by June 2023.

Our guests were at a variety of stages of the process, and some are still trying to work out how it will look. For some who have already recruited PSPs they have found them very engaged and excited to get started.

At one trust the PSP volunteers operate within a Quality & Improvement collaborative – this is a partner programme that sits within the Patient Experience team. PSP volunteers are recruited in line with the trust’s Patient Safety strategy.

During the conversation it became apparent that many group members had the same concerns and questions. One question was around training that was promised nationally, and our guests wondered if anyone knew if it was coming or what the timeline might be. No-one from either group had an answer. If you can answer this, please share on this forum.

There was quite a wide variation in the training offered - some trusts are using the existing statutory & mandatory training whereas others have developed a more comprehensive training package tailored to the role. However most had similar challenges around policies and payment. If people are being renumerated in some way for the role, do you follow a volunteer or staff policy? And how do existing volunteers feel about PSPs being offered payment, or about some volunteers being approached to take on a PSP role?

We also had a question about email access for patient safety partners. At least two people said that they had made an agreement with IT and information governance and agreed that those patient safety partners could have an email.

We talked a bit about recruitment and the fact that there was a reflection around recruiting volunteers for traditional roles. Volunteer roles traditionally found in trusts are usually values-based whereas recruiting to the patient safety partner role is more about skills and experience. There was a little bit of a conflict in people's minds again about a ‘two-tier’ system of volunteering.

In conclusion the conversation probably gave our guests more questions than answers. So please do carry on the conversation using this forum and sharing information.

Useful links

RNOH Patient Safety Partners

Role specification: Patient Safety Partner for the NHS Patient Safety Strategy Oversight Committee