Patient Safety
Patient safety is everyone’s responsibility. Every individual, team, and department contributes to a culture of safety and advancement of the six safety competencies to build and maintain a safe system which is fundamental to creating a culture of safety across the spectrum of care.
R.E.S.P.O.N.D.
The R.E.S.P.O.N.D. Checklist (Appendix C) is a series of actions in the moment to consider for immediate management/response to a patient safety incident.
There are two streams for patient safety incidents when something has not gone as expected or intended – see Patient Safety Firewall document.
- Privileged (Protected) Review
- Accountability Review
Patient Safety Incident Guides
Reporting & Response
Disclosure
Initial Disclosure
Disclosure is an ethical and legal obligation.
As soon as possible, the most responsible practitioner/operational leader explains the known facts of the incident to:
- the patient
- if the patient does not have capacity, to the patient’s substitute healthcare decision maker (SDM)
- if the patient has died, to the family
Present the nature, severity and cause (if known) of any harm in a straightforward manner. Provide additional disclosure of facts as available.
Post-Analysis Disclosure
Following a Critical Incident review, the Manager, Patient Safety & Client Concerns will provide the most responsible practitioner/operational leader with information to be disclosed to the patient/SDM/family.
What can be disclosed based on legislation and legal privilege?
- new facts and actions taken, or intended to be taken, for improvement
What cannot be disclosed based on being protected by legal privilege?
- Critical Incident Notices/Reports
- Any information in a Critical Incident notice or report
- Any documentation used to prepare the above
Seek assistance from others as appropriate. This may include:
- describing what can be done to correct the consequences
- offering a second opinion, the involvement of outside assistance
- transfer of care to another practitioner
Disclosure of Patient Safety Incidents Policy – Section 3.8