Scottish NHS Safety Drive

Scotland's NHS must continue to 'relentlessly' pursue its drive to be the safest in the world, Alex Neil will say today.

The Health Secretary will be speaking at a conference bringing together clinicians and managers from across all sections of the NHS to discuss how to go on improving patient safety.

Introduced in 2008, the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, led by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, has already dramatically reduced mortality rates in hospitals and earned praise from health professionals across the world.

Mr Neil said:

"The care provided in Scotland's NHS is now safer than ever before. I am proud of our safety programme and proud of the difference it has made in our NHS.

"Hospital Acquired Infections like C-Diff and MRSA have been dramatically reduced.

"The mortality ratio in our hospitals is 14% lower. That means lives saved across the NHS, every single year of the programme.

"Over 1,700 leadership walkrounds have taken place since the start of the programme. Many have led to simple but effective improvements within wards and clinical areas. There has been a 25.5 per cent reduction in surgical mortality between 2008 and 2014, the time in which the surgical checklist was introduced.

"Staff across the NHS have adopted the safety programme with professionalism, dedication and commitment. They have made it work and delivered results.

"But my message is that we must continue to relentlessly pursue this drive to make Scotland's NHS the safest in the world. Our NHS is a vast, complex organisation, caring for millions of people every year. Getting it right every single time, and providing the safest, highest quality care possible, is our goal and we must go on working ceaselessly to deliver it on behalf of the people of Scotland.

"That is why we must renew our focus on safety. For example last year I had the privilege to visit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and see their Hospital Safety Huddle , a morning meeting of all those involved in providing care to plan the day, identify risks and challenges and work collectively and collaboratively to deliver the best care possible.

"I am delighted to see that that concept is being spread across Scotland, first in all three paediatric hospitals and more recently in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and both of the hospitals in Ayrshire and Arran. 

"This is a fine example of the type of best practice I want to see rolled out to all acute hospitals in Scotland."

Ruth Glassborow, Director of Safety and Improvement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland said:

"Healthcare Improvement Scotland manage the Scottish Patient Safety Programme and we are delighted with the progress being made across the length and breadth of the country. 

"From an initial focus on adults in hospitals the programme now extends to maternity and children, mental health and primary care services. All with a focus on ensuring services are as safe as they possibly can be for every person, every time."