‘Being Open’ Communicating Patient Safety Events with Patients, Families and Carers

Being Open Communicating Patient Safety Events with Patients, Families and Carers

Why have I been given this leaflet?
You have been given this leaflet because you or your family member have/has been involved in an unintended incident whilst under the care of our Trust.

What is ‘being open’?
We are committed to delivering safe, high quality care, however occasionally, mistakes do occur, and we need to be honest and open with our patients and their families when this happens.

Our staff are encouraged to report all incidents when they believe something has gone wrong. This means we can learn from these events and try to prevent similar things happening in the future.

You should have already received a verbal apology from a member of staff, with an explanation as to what happens next. This leaflet helps explain that process.

Will my comments and suggestions be listened to?
Yes. Your views on what happened are essential for us to understand how and why the incident happened, and to answer any questions you may have.

What treatment and care will I receive after the incident?
The Consultant in charge of your care will continue to treat you according to your clinical needs. However, if you wish to receive treatment from another team or provider, we shall aim to plan for this.

What happens next?
The events around the incident will be reviewed as soon as possible to establish the facts, gain a better understanding of what occurred and identify any immediate learning. It may be that our initial review identifies the need for a more in-depth review, if it is clear there could be further opportunities for learning and improvement. If this is the case, we will contact you to let you know.

This would normally be within two to three weeks, and you will receive a letter with more information and contact details.

If there is a formal review or investigation, will I be able to see the results, and how long will it take?
If our initial review finds that there are opportunities for learning and improvement for the Trust, we will contact you in writing to explain the next steps, and invite you to be involved if you would like to be. You will be able to raise any questions you may have (in line with Duty of Candour¹). These questions can then be incorporated into our ‘Terms of Reference’ or key points for investigation.

There are several methods of review we use to determine actions and learning and not all will result in a formal written report. However, we will share any findings and learning with you at the end of the review.

Different methods of review can vary in time taken, but we will keep you informed of expected response times, and any delays.

What happens if the incident resulted in a patient’s death?
The process would be the same as described above, but additionally may involve the Coroner’s office who will contact you separately. If the Coroner opens an inquest into a patient’s death, a copy of our review may be requested directly by the Coroner’s office for consideration at inquest.

Is support available if I need it?
Contact details for each Divisional Governance Team and the Trust’s Patient Safety Team are provided at the end of this leaflet if you need further information or support. If we contact you in writing you will also be given a direct point/method of contact in the letter.

Patients with different languages
Your contact will be able to arrange a translator to be available for the Being Open process. If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please let a member of staff know.

Governance Team contact details – Please circle appropriate team:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Patient Safety Team contact details:
[email protected]

Sharing your information
The Trust handles and shares your information to support your care and according to the law (General Data Protection Regulation 2018). For any further information please refer to the Privacy Notice on the Trust’s website.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone: 0300 123 1732  or via email at: [email protected]

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.  

¹Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 20 Duty of Candour

Version 3.1