Recommendation 5

Although the vision for what the role of Patient Safety Commissioner will achieve is publicised by the Department, no statement of specific assignments or areas of responsibility, have been published yet. As we set out in our report on the pre- appointment hearing with Dr Hughes, metrics for success and clearly defined responsibilities are needed. Only when these are clearly established can resources be adequately assigned. The risk if this is not done is that the maximum benefit to patient safety will not be fully realised. We therefore urge the Secretary of State to ensure that the Patient Safety Commissioner’s ability to carry out her important role, as her duties and responsibilities become more clearly defined, is not impeded by a lack of resource for and within her office.