Source · HSSIB Patient Safety Investigation
Temporary staff – involvement in patient safety investigations
Published 14 March 2024
Published
NHS staff
Patient safety themes
Full online version of the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) investigation report 'Workforce and patient safety: temporary staff - involvement in patient safety investigations'.
Summary
2 recommendations
1 observation
6 learning prompts
2 of 2 responded
Safety Recommendations
R/2024/020
NHS England
HSSIB recommends that NHS England includes guidance on engaging temporary staff in learning responses within their 'engaging and involving patients, families and staff following a patient safety incident'. This should be developed in collaboration with providers of temporary staff to the NHS to help assist healthcare providers being able to fully investigate incidents from a systems perspective, enabling learning that can improve patient care.
NHS England is revising its "Engaging and involving patients, families and staff" guidance. They are now considering HSSIB's recommendation to include guidance on engaging temporary staff in learning responses within this ongoing revision.
Response received 2 May 2024
When we published our guidance document: Engaging and involving patients, families and staff following a patient safety incident to accompany the publication of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework in August 2022, we made a commitment to revise the document based on feedback about implementation and emerging research findings from the Learn Together research programme. In March 2024 we reconvened our stakeholder group to commence the revision and are pleased to consider HSSIB’s recommendation as part of this work. Response received on 2 May 2024.
R/2024/021
NHS England
HSSIB recommends that NHS England updates the agency worker framework agreement criteria to explicitly require framework agreements to adhere to the staff support principles of the NHS England Patient Safety Incident Response Framework. This will improve patient safety as there is a recognised link between staff having wellbeing concerns and the delivery of patient care.
NHS England confirmed with framework operators that agency worker framework agreement criteria will be updated to explicitly require adherence to Patient Safety Incident Response Framework staff support principles. The framework approval application form update is planned for September 2024.
Response received 3 May 2024
This has been confirmed with NHS England and both the framework operators: - The Workforce Alliance - Health Trust Europe A full list of NHS England approved framework agreements for the supply of temporary staffing can be found here . Action planned to deliver safety recommendation: Update the framework approval application form for 2024, by September 2024. Response received on 3 May 2024.
Safety Observations
Observation 1
Observation
Agencies providing temporary staff to the NHS can improve patient safety by facilitating the involvement of temporary staff in investigation processes, including interviews. This is to enable the investigation of patient safety incidents in line with the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework.
Learning Prompts
Prompt 1
Learning prompt
How do you ensure that temporary staff are aware of how to record patient safety incidents?
Prompt 2
Learning prompt
If an incident takes place, how do you ensure that temporary staff are able to record it?
Prompt 3
Learning prompt
How do you engage temporary staff in a learning response?
Prompt 4
Learning prompt
Do you have processes in place so you can conduct interviews with temporary staff?
Prompt 5
Learning prompt
Can you work with employment agencies to create agreed methods of including temporary staff in learning responses through your contractual arrangements?
Prompt 6
Learning prompt
How do you ensure that learning is fed back to those staff involved, including temporary staff?