Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust selected as winner of The Health Foundation's Safer Patients Initiative

Today, The Health Foundation announces the winners of its £4 million Safer Patients Initiative aimed at making hospitals safer for patients. The winning trusts were selected from a UK-wide competition, and include Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust (England). 

The announcement coincides with the launch of the World Health Organization World Alliance for Patient Safety. The other winning Trusts are Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust (Wales), Down Lisburn Health and Social Services Trust (Northern Ireland) and NHS Tayside (Scotland).

Leaders from the four trusts will work with an expert team from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and noted patient safety experts from all over the world. The trusts were selected on the basis of their exceptionally high level of commitment to improving patient safety. The Health Foundation has engaged the IHI to work with the selected trusts over a two-year period to help them bring about improvements in patient safety.

The Health Foundation will then support the trusts for a further two years to help them spread the word about what they have learned. The four sites are expected to become exemplars in patient safety so that other hospitals can learn from their success.

Best available data in England estimates that around 10% (900,000) of patients admitted to NHS hospitals have experienced a patient safety incident, and that up to half of these could have been prevented. An estimated 72,000 patient safety incidents are thought to contribute to the death of patients, although it is not known how many directly contribute.

The Health Foundation’s Chief Executive Stephen Thornton said: “Patients should not suffer unnecessary harm, pain or suffering as a result of an error or medical intervention. Our £4 million investment will allow real improvements to be made. By concentrating on just four trusts, we will generate real depth of learning, and by creating centres of excellence, the benefits of the investment will spread well beyond these trusts.”

John Pickles, Medical Director and ENT Consultant Surgeon, Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust said: "Luton and Dunstable's role in improving the safety of hospital patients has been recognised by winning this award.  By becoming an exemplar site Luton and Dunstable will be able to develop its work further and share its approach with other hospitals throughout the UK to improve the safety of all NHS hospital patients."

Donald Berwick, President and CEO of IHI said: "Improving patient safety is not easy. Hospitals have to involve almost all departments, support systems and patterns of activity. Dozens of habitual systems have to change - rounds, record keeping, training programmes, policy manuals and review procedures, to name but a few. This initiative will develop four bold design projects will serve as practical demonstrations of what can be achieved.”

Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England said: “I welcome this substantial investment from The Health Foundation to improve patient safety. It is critical that the UK’s health service learns from its experiences so that the risk of avoidable harm to patients is minimised. Ensuring that the modern NHS is as safe a place as possible for patients is a key priority for the Government.”

In addition, Sir Liam, who will chair the World Alliance for Patient Safety, said that the Alliance will welcome The Health Foundation as a key partner in addressing the global challenge of patient safety.

The winning trusts were selected from a UK-wide competition, and include Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust (England). 

The announcement coincides with the launch of the World Health Organization World Alliance for Patient Safety. The other winning Trusts are Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust (Wales), Down Lisburn Health and Social Services Trust (Northern Ireland) and NHS Tayside (Scotland).

Leaders from the four trusts will work with an expert team from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and noted patient safety experts from all over the world. The trusts were selected on the basis of their exceptionally high level of commitment to improving patient safety. The Health Foundation has engaged the IHI to work with the selected trusts over a two-year period to help them bring about improvements in patient safety.

The Health Foundation will then support the trusts for a further two years to help them spread the word about what they have learned. The four sites are expected to become exemplars in patient safety so that other hospitals can learn from their success.

Best available data in England estimates that around 10% (900,000) of patients admitted to NHS hospitals have experienced a patient safety incident, and that up to half of these could have been prevented. An estimated 72,000 patient safety incidents are thought to contribute to the death of patients, although it is not known how many directly contribute.

The Health Foundation’s Chief Executive Stephen Thornton said: “Patients should not suffer unnecessary harm, pain or suffering as a result of an error or medical intervention. Our £4 million investment will allow real improvements to be made. By concentrating on just four trusts, we will generate real depth of learning, and by creating centres of excellence, the benefits of the investment will spread well beyond these trusts.”

John Pickles, Medical Director and ENT Consultant Surgeon, Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust said: "Luton and Dunstable's role in improving the safety of hospital patients has been recognised by winning this award.  By becoming an exemplar site Luton and Dunstable will be able to develop its work further and share its approach with other hospitals throughout the UK to improve the safety of all NHS hospital patients."

Donald Berwick, President and CEO of IHI said: "Improving patient safety is not easy. Hospitals have to involve almost all departments, support systems and patterns of activity. Dozens of habitual systems have to change - rounds, record keeping, training programmes, policy manuals and review procedures, to name but a few. This initiative will develop four bold design projects will serve as practical demonstrations of what can be achieved.”

Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England said: “I welcome this substantial investment from The Health Foundation to improve patient safety. It is critical that the UK’s health service learns from its experiences so that the risk of avoidable harm to patients is minimised. Ensuring that the modern NHS is as safe a place as possible for patients is a key priority for the Government.”

In addition, Sir Liam, who will chair the World Alliance for Patient Safety, said that the Alliance will welcome The Health Foundation as a key partner in addressing the global challenge of patient safety.