The NHS will be made safer than ever under ambitious new goals being brought in for the Scottish Patient Safety Programme.
The world-leading programme comes to the end of its first phase this year, and is making good progress towards its aims of reducing mortality by 15 per cent and adverse events by 30 per cent across Scotland’s acute hospitals.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon announced that the programme would be extended until 2015, with a focus on achieving harm free care in the NHS. A challenging aim to ensure that at least 95 per cent of people receiving care do not experience harm – such as infections, falls, blood clots and pressure sores – will be introduced.
The existing aim to reduce unexpected deaths in hospitals – known as the Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio – will be extended from 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
In welcoming this announcement Falkirk West MSP Michael Matheson said:
“The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to continually improving patient safety in our hospitals, including Forth Valley Royal. The Patient Safety Programme has achieved some really impressive results, not just in improving the standard of care but in galvanising staff into action. The programme is something that the staff I have spoken to are excited by, and feel they are very much a part of.
“I very much welcome the extention of the programme for another three years and to make its aims even more challenging. I know that there is some hard work ahead for our local NHS staff, but I am confident that they will welcome this challenge.
“Scotland is the first country in the world to implement a national patient safety programme across the whole healthcare system. Up and down the country there are examples of improvements being made.
“I’m glad that the Scottish Government recognise that people are at the heart of our NHS and everyone in Scotland has the right to expect the highest quality care, where and when they need it. The Patient Safety Programme helps us achieve this.”
