Final Report > Chapter 26: The Safety of Care > Overcoming the barriers to openness > Making reporting as easy as possible

Making reporting as easy as possible

38 We now turn to the challenge of making policy become reality. We focus on the local level because that is where any system of reporting succeeds or fails. We begin by making two general points. Reporting must be made as easy as possible, using all available means of communication (including a confidential telephone reporting line). The policy on reporting and an explanation of how to report and, crucially, to whom, should be integrated into all elements of a trust's internal communications activities, induction training and other staff training. Staff must know what is expected of them and what systems are in place to enable them to report.