NHS urged to prioritise safety

The Health Foundation has urged the NHS to make patient safety its top priority.

In evidence to the House of Commons Health Committee’s inquiry into patient safety, chief executive Stephen Thornton has called on the managerial and clinical leaders of all acute hospitals in England to implement proven changes in clinical practice to reduce harm, banish the blame culture and change the way they identify risks and measure performance.

Ministers and NHS top management can aid this by ensuring a coordinated use of managerial, commissioning and regulatory levers.