Patient safety and quality is at the top of the agenda at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. A newly created role dedicated to finding out what patients think about the safety and quality of care they receive is helping the Trust to direct its focus on patient safety across the hospitals at all levels.

Edwina Morris, recently appointed Patient Safety Champion spends her days listening and talking to patients on their views of the safety and quality of care they receive, and feeding them directly in to the Chairman, Chief Executive and the Board for action. Edwina, a former theatre nurse, is passionate about the work she is doing and believes this high-level support is integral to the success of improving patient safety.

“The Trust already has a number of robust measures and reporting structures in place to monitor the safety and quality of care we deliver,” says Edwina. “But understanding patients’ concerns is essential if we are to improve on their experience. Reporting directly into the Trust’s senior management and Board has helped increase overall awareness of safety issues, speed up decision making and is helping the organisation to be become much more responsive in addressing problems.”

Chris Langley, Chairman said, “The work Edwina is doing invaluable. It encourages patients to discuss their concerns as they are experiencing them, and means many of the issues which cause anxiety, such as knowing when you are being discharged, understanding what the doctors are saying, or knowing who your nominated nurse is, can be dealt with immediately. Listening to the patients is important if we want to improve on their experience, and we are working hard to encourage all staff to take greater ownership for patient safety.”