Final Report > Chapter 26: The Safety of Care > Overcoming the barriers to openness > Learning from what is already working in the NHS

Learning from what is already working in the NHS

43 In developing such a system there is much that can be learned from the emerging experience within the NHS. It is encouraging to see evidence of a move towards open reporting as revealed in the inspection reports of the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI). For example, in relation to Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, CHI stated: `A new process for reporting adverse incidents was introduced in early 2000. An important feature is that reporting of non-clinical and clinical incidents is combined'. Yet it also noted: `In common with staff in most other health organisations though, some staff in the Trust feel reticent about raising concerns about colleagues - especially doctors about other doctors and other staff about doctors'. In relation to North West Wales NHS Trust, CHI wrote: `The Trust states that its approach to managing risk is to ensure that it develops a culture of "no blame" ... The evidence clearly indicates that the Trust has made significant progress in achieving this.' [34]

Footnotes

[34] See Commission for Health Improvement. `Clinical Governance Reviews'. 2000/01. www.chi.nhs.uk/eng/report/index.shtml