The System Safety Improvement Programme

Working with Integrated Care Systems to create optimal conditions for patient safety improvement to flourish.

The aim of the programme is to create optimal conditions for patient safety improvement to flourish by working closely with Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).

The programme focuses on supporting ICSs to strengthen their system wide approach to safety and embedding the NHS England Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF). 

The East of England Patient Safety Collaborative mobilises ICS-level Patient Safety Improvement Networks, tailoring our support to their local needs to enable their effectiveness. Our work often involves facilitating conversations or workshops around safety culture, improvement themes and other pertinent issues to develop ways to further learn from safety incidents. 

What is the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)? 

The PSIRF outlines how NHS organisations should respond to patient safety incidents for the purpose of learning and improvement. The framework represents a significant shift, which centres on compassion and involving those affected; system-based approaches to learning and improvement; considered and proportionate responses and supportive oversight. 

PSIRF is a major step towards improving safety management across England and supports the NHS to embed the key principles of a patient safety culture. It works to ensure the NHS focuses on understanding how incidents happen rather than apportioning blame to individuals, allowing for more effective learning and improvement and ultimately making NHS care safer for patients.

Read our 2023-24 Impact Review to find out how we have built collaborative networks in the East of England. 

Further information 

For more information, please contact Sarah Hamilton, Senior Improvement Lead, at sarah.hamilton@healthinnovationeast.co.uk 

The Patient Safety Improvement Programmes are bring delivered in our region by the East of England Patient Safety Collaborative (PSC). 

Share your idea

Do you have a great idea that could deliver meaningful change in the real world?

Get involved

Newsletter