Job summary
As a result of the post-holder being effective in their role, The Trust would expect to see the following outcomes for the Trust, service users and the wider community:
1. Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust as a leading provider of community services, mental health care, physical health, addiction services and learning disability care.2. Service users receiving a high quality service and one which is free from stigma, discrimination and harm.3. Staff engaged with the delivery, innovation and continuous improvement of services to benefit service users.4. Visible and responsive leadership, setting the standard for others and role-modelled throughout the division for all managers5. The Trust values of Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Respectfulness, Enthusiasm and Support will be embedded across the division for all staff and evident to service users.
The main purpose of the Patient Safety Lead is to work trust wide in supporting development, promotion, and implementation of the Trust's Patient Safety Strategy. The Patient Safety Lead will support the embedding of a culture of quality improvement across the organisation. The postholder will be responsible for the high standard service delivery of the serious incident, incident and clinical safety services available to patients, carers, staff and partners.
Main duties of the job
The Patient Safety Lead will support the Trust to build on the foundations of a patient safety culture by:- Being involved in the improvement of the organisation's understanding of safety by drawing insight from multiple sources of patient safety information- Equipping patients, staff and partners with the data and information to improve patient safety throughout the whole organisation- Designing and supporting programmes that deliver effective and sustainable change in the most important areas of patient safety- Being a champion for embedding a Just Culture and utilising learning as a means to drive improvement across the organisation- The Patient Safety Lead will drive service improvement, quality and safety working alongside teams to embed a quality and safety-first culture.- Working alongside the Divisional leads for risk, safety and quality, the Patient Safety Lead will support clinical teams to continuously improve patient safety and promote learning and embed a non-blame culture that is safety focussed.- The Patient Safety Lead will work closely with the Director for Patient lead to deliver an effective safety framework across the organisation.- The Patient Safety Lead will work closely with clinical teams across the Trust to- The Patient Safety Lead will work with the Serious Incident and Complaints Teams providing an expert view as to the inter-relationship between complaints, incidents and patient safety.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Be responsible for the Trust-wide Serious Incident (SI) process and management systems.2. Provide expert advice, support and guidance and training to colleagues on the completion of SI reviews application of duty of candour and report writing.3. Demonstrate a high level of professional judgment and competence, acting autonomously in a variety of contexts, including internal and external stakeholder engagement meetings.4. To act as a first point of contact for serious Incidents advising staff and patient/s families on the Serious Incidents (SI) and duty of candour / being open processes, signposting to correct staff/organisations and making judgements to ensure an appropriate outcome.5. Provide expertise, specialist advice and support across all services delivered by the Trust relating to the quality and safety agenda.6. Responsible for management of the Patient Safety function; including the Trust's Serious Incidents requiring investigation process, Duty of Candour process, National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide and external reviews (e.g. Domestic Homicide Reviews).7. Be able to communicate with patients and families during highly sensitive and difficult situations, maintaining confidentiality.8. Coordinate the sharing of information as part of any SI review process coordinating the requirements of police; coroner and both internal and external reviewers.9. Work with the clinical divisions to coordinate duty of candour actions where appropriate.10. Use their skills and expertise to support staff who are involved in distressing incidents.11. Ensure systems in place to assure Trust compliance with statutory duty of candour.12. Be involved in supporting a Human Factors approach to error, considering all relevant factors and focussing on strategies that maximise the frequency of things going right.13. Support/undertake thematic reviews as required which facilitate deeper learning.14. Support the provision of triangulated reports of learning from across a range of quality indicators.15. To develop, create and author a broad range of reports as required by the Trust Board, Divisions and other stakeholders such as Commissioners.16. As required, assist or carry out reviews of complaints and/or serious incidents.17. Support patient involvement in the Patient Safety Strategy Group.18. Maintain an up to date knowledge and understanding of the NHS Patient Safety Strategy, the Patient Safety Incident Framework and any related guidance or strategies.19. Work closely with clinical and non-clinical Divisions to ensure full integration of all Trust staff to the SI review process through training, communication and active participation.20. Be the Operational Lead for the Patient Safety Strategy Group ensuring the effective coordination of all the information required and all actions are monitored through to completion.21. Be a member of other safety and quality groups across the Trust including Mortality and Patient Experience as requested and required.22. Boost patient safety understanding through education and training.
23. Develop educational material to support patient safety.24. Support the implementation of learning methods such as Black Box or Oxford Model events to embed learning into practice, and aid in the development of materials to support this.25. Coordinate learning events and ensure an ongoing programme is in place.26. Identify and support engagement with national programmes and collaboratives that can support the Trusts Patient Safety Strategy.27. To assist staff in accessing information and professional advice to enable them to resolve patient safety concerns/issues.28. Supporting improvementa. Focus on improvement programmes in areas where most harm is seenb. Support the development and maintenance of a Just Culturec. Contribute to the development of Trusts Quality Improvement priorities29. Provide the divisions with expert leadership on patient safety and quality.30. Support staff to act on their quality and safety improvement ideas, using QI methodologies to solve local problems.31. Facilitate the sharing of these solutions widely across the Trust.32. Coordinate patient safety initiatives across the Trust and lead on specific patient safety initiatives as required.33. Work directly with clinical teams to disseminate and embed the Trusts Patient Safety Strategy.34. Able to communicate complex and at times highly sensitive information to a variety of stakeholders.35. Have excellent communication skills using a range of mediums, with effective and confident presentation skills.36. Communicate highly complex and sensitive information.37. Analyse and interpret data and present in an recognised statistical format.38. Provide very complex information and data upon requests from the CCGs, NHSE and CQC in the management and learning from incidents.39. Through the use of accurate data identify themes, learning and actions relating to incidents and serious incidents.40. Responsibilities for information resourcesa. Accurate and appropriate information is recorded within relevant Trust electronic systemsb. To develop, create and author a broad range of reports as required by the Trust Board, Divisions and other stakeholders such as the commissioners41. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources including budget and financial management.42. Prepare and present regular training sessions for employees about patient safety topics including serious incident reviews, assessment of clinical risk additionally ad-hoc training as requested or required.43. Receive and manage contacts from Coroners and their staff concerning individual deaths which management includes:a. Identification and provision of timely information as required, including assisting current and ex-staff to provide statements as necessary.
b. Strategic planning to ensure all appropriate information, documents and witnesses are identified, properly prepared & available as needed in the inquest process.c. Attending Court and representing the Trust as an Interested Person, supporting staff who give evidenced. Liaison as necessary with family and legal representatives of deceased, and other parties (e.g. Police, Health and Safety Executive, MHRA).e. Investigation and drafting responses to Regulation 28 letters from the Coroner, and other correspondence such as formal complaints relating to inquests, for signature by the Chief Executive.44. High level of engagement in leading and participating in research and audit activities.45. Able to work autonomously with the need for a minimal level of management supervision.46. Able to self-manage conflicting demands on time and capacity, prioritising activities and self.47. Develops implements and follows Standard Operating Procedures, relevant regulations and works independently pan-trust.48. Self-directed in managing day to day work schedule.49. Level of autonomy to develop protocols and policy and make decisions about the service.50. High level of responsibility to develop external partnerships.51. Physical efforta. Intense concentration will be required on a wide variety of highly complex issues throughout the day. The post holder will frequently have to adapt to changing priorities and re-focus the work of self and others on new priorities areas that require urgent actionb. Frequent VDU use is required for this post for periods of up to 3 or 4 hours at a time in order to produce complex reports and analysisc. Occasional driving within and external to Lincolnshire52. Mental efforta. Able to concentrate, for prolonged periods when checking detailed documentsb. Able to analyse information and datac. Team Leadership53. Emotional efforta. To provide practical support in stressful and difficult situations and with the handling of challenging behavioursb. The need to be emotional robust as they will often have to present contentious and at times distressing findings to staff, stakeholders, patients and their relatives/carers, and may be subject to sustained and vigorous challengec. Behave confidently and assertively to influence staff at all levelsd. Maintain composure when faced with challenging situationse. Work under pressure and to tight deadlines whilst continuing to deliver resultsf. Respond effectively to changing demands at short notice
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Be responsible for the Trust-wide Serious Incident (SI) process and management systems.2. Provide expert advice, support and guidance and training to colleagues on the completion of SI reviews application of duty of candour and report writing.3. Demonstrate a high level of professional judgment and competence, acting autonomously in a variety of contexts, including internal and external stakeholder engagement meetings.4. To act as a first point of contact for serious Incidents advising staff and patient/s families on the Serious Incidents (SI) and duty of candour / being open processes, signposting to correct staff/organisations and making judgements to ensure an appropriate outcome.5. Provide expertise, specialist advice and support across all services delivered by the Trust relating to the quality and safety agenda.6. Responsible for management of the Patient Safety function; including the Trust's Serious Incidents requiring investigation process, Duty of Candour process, National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide and external reviews (e.g. Domestic Homicide Reviews).7. Be able to communicate with patients and families during highly sensitive and difficult situations, maintaining confidentiality.8. Coordinate the sharing of information as part of any SI review process coordinating the requirements of police; coroner and both internal and external reviewers.9. Work with the clinical divisions to coordinate duty of candour actions where appropriate.10. Use their skills and expertise to support staff who are involved in distressing incidents.11. Ensure systems in place to assure Trust compliance with statutory duty of candour.12. Be involved in supporting a Human Factors approach to error, considering all relevant factors and focussing on strategies that maximise the frequency of things going right.13. Support/undertake thematic reviews as required which facilitate deeper learning.14. Support the provision of triangulated reports of learning from across a range of quality indicators.15. To develop, create and author a broad range of reports as required by the Trust Board, Divisions and other stakeholders such as Commissioners.16. As required, assist or carry out reviews of complaints and/or serious incidents.17. Support patient involvement in the Patient Safety Strategy Group.18. Maintain an up to date knowledge and understanding of the NHS Patient Safety Strategy, the Patient Safety Incident Framework and any related guidance or strategies.19. Work closely with clinical and non-clinical Divisions to ensure full integration of all Trust staff to the SI review process through training, communication and active participation.20. Be the Operational Lead for the Patient Safety Strategy Group ensuring the effective coordination of all the information required and all actions are monitored through to completion.21. Be a member of other safety and quality groups across the Trust including Mortality and Patient Experience as requested and required.22. Boost patient safety understanding through education and training.
23. Develop educational material to support patient safety.24. Support the implementation of learning methods such as Black Box or Oxford Model events to embed learning into practice, and aid in the development of materials to support this.25. Coordinate learning events and ensure an ongoing programme is in place.26. Identify and support engagement with national programmes and collaboratives that can support the Trusts Patient Safety Strategy.27. To assist staff in accessing information and professional advice to enable them to resolve patient safety concerns/issues.28. Supporting improvementa. Focus on improvement programmes in areas where most harm is seenb. Support the development and maintenance of a Just Culturec. Contribute to the development of Trusts Quality Improvement priorities29. Provide the divisions with expert leadership on patient safety and quality.30. Support staff to act on their quality and safety improvement ideas, using QI methodologies to solve local problems.31. Facilitate the sharing of these solutions widely across the Trust.32. Coordinate patient safety initiatives across the Trust and lead on specific patient safety initiatives as required.33. Work directly with clinical teams to disseminate and embed the Trusts Patient Safety Strategy.34. Able to communicate complex and at times highly sensitive information to a variety of stakeholders.35. Have excellent communication skills using a range of mediums, with effective and confident presentation skills.36. Communicate highly complex and sensitive information.37. Analyse and interpret data and present in an recognised statistical format.38. Provide very complex information and data upon requests from the CCGs, NHSE and CQC in the management and learning from incidents.39. Through the use of accurate data identify themes, learning and actions relating to incidents and serious incidents.40. Responsibilities for information resourcesa. Accurate and appropriate information is recorded within relevant Trust electronic systemsb. To develop, create and author a broad range of reports as required by the Trust Board, Divisions and other stakeholders such as the commissioners41. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources including budget and financial management.42. Prepare and present regular training sessions for employees about patient safety topics including serious incident reviews, assessment of clinical risk additionally ad-hoc training as requested or required.43. Receive and manage contacts from Coroners and their staff concerning individual deaths which management includes:a. Identification and provision of timely information as required, including assisting current and ex-staff to provide statements as necessary.
b. Strategic planning to ensure all appropriate information, documents and witnesses are identified, properly prepared & available as needed in the inquest process.c. Attending Court and representing the Trust as an Interested Person, supporting staff who give evidenced. Liaison as necessary with family and legal representatives of deceased, and other parties (e.g. Police, Health and Safety Executive, MHRA).e. Investigation and drafting responses to Regulation 28 letters from the Coroner, and other correspondence such as formal complaints relating to inquests, for signature by the Chief Executive.44. High level of engagement in leading and participating in research and audit activities.45. Able to work autonomously with the need for a minimal level of management supervision.46. Able to self-manage conflicting demands on time and capacity, prioritising activities and self.47. Develops implements and follows Standard Operating Procedures, relevant regulations and works independently pan-trust.48. Self-directed in managing day to day work schedule.49. Level of autonomy to develop protocols and policy and make decisions about the service.50. High level of responsibility to develop external partnerships.51. Physical efforta. Intense concentration will be required on a wide variety of highly complex issues throughout the day. The post holder will frequently have to adapt to changing priorities and re-focus the work of self and others on new priorities areas that require urgent actionb. Frequent VDU use is required for this post for periods of up to 3 or 4 hours at a time in order to produce complex reports and analysisc. Occasional driving within and external to Lincolnshire52. Mental efforta. Able to concentrate, for prolonged periods when checking detailed documentsb. Able to analyse information and datac. Team Leadership53. Emotional efforta. To provide practical support in stressful and difficult situations and with the handling of challenging behavioursb. The need to be emotional robust as they will often have to present contentious and at times distressing findings to staff, stakeholders, patients and their relatives/carers, and may be subject to sustained and vigorous challengec. Behave confidently and assertively to influence staff at all levelsd. Maintain composure when faced with challenging situationse. Work under pressure and to tight deadlines whilst continuing to deliver resultsf. Respond effectively to changing demands at short notice
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Master's level or equivalent level of NHS working experience.
- Excellent knowledge of serious incidents process
Desirable
- Advanced ECDL or similar
- Teaching/Training Qualification
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of governance practices associated with NHS specific services, structures and policies.
- Experience of Inquest related work
- Experience of setting up and using case management systems and of developing office administrative systems
- Experience of working with staff of all levels and of negotiating in difficult situations.
- Experience of analysing complex investigations and writing reports
- Experience of representing a trust/organisation at high level meetings
- Line management experience with experience of objective setting, performance management and holding people to account
- Experience of planning and prioritisation own work and deliver to time and objectives
- Knowledge of the components of governance and assurance, national policies, standards, requirements and directions that relate to identifying, measuring and improving the quality of patient care
- Knowledge and demonstrable experience of working within patient safety or clinical ? Teaching experience 24/06/2020 governance in the NHS or wider Public Sector service
- Extensive experience of working with IT systems and databases.
Desirable
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Support
- High professional standards
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
- Change oriented
Skills
Essential
- Highly analytical and numerate
- Analyse complex data and identify trends.
- Good eye for detail, as well as for broad view.
- Critically appraise complex issues in wide-ranging specialist fields
- Excellent understanding of risk escalation
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Problem solving skills, able to think conceptually.
- Able to work as part of a team with excellent people skills and willingness to contribute as required
- Demonstrable experience of having a focus on improvement
- Good understanding of the digital agenda
- Experience of learning from 24/06/2020 and embracing new technologies.
- Experience of conflict resolution and ability to proactively identify and implement solutions.
- Able to work in a fast paced, multi-task environment and meet deadlines.
- Well organised, self motivated
- Delivery-focused, results orientation
- Has a developed knowledge of a number of systems analysis tools and methods from which to draw upon.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Master's level or equivalent level of NHS working experience.
- Excellent knowledge of serious incidents process
Desirable
- Advanced ECDL or similar
- Teaching/Training Qualification
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of governance practices associated with NHS specific services, structures and policies.
- Experience of Inquest related work
- Experience of setting up and using case management systems and of developing office administrative systems
- Experience of working with staff of all levels and of negotiating in difficult situations.
- Experience of analysing complex investigations and writing reports
- Experience of representing a trust/organisation at high level meetings
- Line management experience with experience of objective setting, performance management and holding people to account
- Experience of planning and prioritisation own work and deliver to time and objectives
- Knowledge of the components of governance and assurance, national policies, standards, requirements and directions that relate to identifying, measuring and improving the quality of patient care
- Knowledge and demonstrable experience of working within patient safety or clinical ? Teaching experience 24/06/2020 governance in the NHS or wider Public Sector service
- Extensive experience of working with IT systems and databases.
Desirable
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Support
- High professional standards
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
- Change oriented
Skills
Essential
- Highly analytical and numerate
- Analyse complex data and identify trends.
- Good eye for detail, as well as for broad view.
- Critically appraise complex issues in wide-ranging specialist fields
- Excellent understanding of risk escalation
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Problem solving skills, able to think conceptually.
- Able to work as part of a team with excellent people skills and willingness to contribute as required
- Demonstrable experience of having a focus on improvement
- Good understanding of the digital agenda
- Experience of learning from 24/06/2020 and embracing new technologies.
- Experience of conflict resolution and ability to proactively identify and implement solutions.
- Able to work in a fast paced, multi-task environment and meet deadlines.
- Well organised, self motivated
- Delivery-focused, results orientation
- Has a developed knowledge of a number of systems analysis tools and methods from which to draw upon.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
