The first ever national World Patient Safety Day has highlighted the great work the NHS are doing in Southport and Formby to improve the safety of patients.

The aim of World Health Organisation’s national day held on Tuesday 17th September aims to create awareness of patient safety and urge people to speak up about their commitment to making healthcare safer.

In Southport and Formby there are many ways that NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are improving the safety of its patients working with partners across the region and they are keen to share that good work with others to support redesign of services to benefit all patients.

Tracey Forshaw, assistant chief nurse at NHS Southport and Formby CCG, said: “We work all year round to improve the safety of our patients in Southport and Formby. What is key for us is to share any learning with our partners in Sefton and if helpful we also share learnings regionally and nationally so as not to reinvent the wheel and so that patients receive the safest care as soon as they can.”

The CCG work with Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust and Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust on a regular basis to review the safety of patients. Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust have done work recently with the team on falls prevention by introducing low rise beds, assisted technology, posters in hospitals and also started bay tagging to ensure that a member of staff is always around to watch those patients at risk of falls at all times and reduce harm as a result of falls.

Another piece of work that has been improved on from reviewing a service is reducing pressure ulcers under plaster casts. Staff at the hospital are now educated to a high level on how to avoid them and the patient feedback so far is positive led by the lead plaster technician. This work was shared with NHS England Cheshire and Merseyside Forum as an example of best practice learning.

Something else the CCG has changed following a review is for maintenance agreements to be put in place for equipment including epilepsy bed mats in residential care. This is just one example where a case came to the clinical commissioning group who has then made improvements working with Sefton Council, Mencap, NHS England and NHS Improvement Cheshire and Merseyside and local authorities across the region to share learning.  

Fiona Taylor, chief officer at the CCG said: “We are speaking up for patient safety and working with others to share learning both ways. This is so important to us as a CCG and I am pleased there is a national awareness day to celebrate this work. It all helps in making changes for the better to improve the care of our patients for the future.”