Putting patient safety first

Is your hospital adopting a safety culture? For both patients and staff? Below is a message sent to all hospital staff by the Interim Medical Director at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert. This is the sort of message we need to receive and spread in order to promote safety.

Dear Colleague

I am grateful to all of you who contribute to teaching and supervision of junior doctors and I am sure I can count on your wholehearted welcome and support to new colleagues starting this week.

Following recent guidance from the GMC and NES all new doctors at induction are being reminded of their duty to raise any concerns regarding patient safety as soon as possible.   This should be done as soon as possible after the perceived safety risk  -  with their supervisor or with another consultant in the department; with the Director of Medical Education (Dr David McQueen);  an AMD or;  with the Medical Director.   Concerns should be raised timeously in the knowledge that they will be considered seriously, without prejudice and will be acted upon appropriately.

The learning environment we provide should ensure that their training should take place in a supportive environment where undermining or bullying behaviour is not tolerated.   There is a ‘zero tolerance’ of undermining and we hope this will not be experienced at any time.   If the trainee feels that this is an issue for them, they are asked to urgently report it to a member of the consultant staff (if possible, to their clinical or educational supervisor or to a College Tutor, or equivalent).

Thank you again for your invaluable support.

Sent on behalf of

Dr Peter Murdoch

Interim Medical Director  

Forth Valley Royal Hospital