The patient safety partner is a new role, which has been developed by NHS England to help improve patient safety across healthcare in the UK.
What is the role of a patient safety partner?
Patient safety partners:
- are actively involved in the design of safer healthcare at all levels in the organisation;
- play a key role in improving patient experiences by becoming an integral part of patient safety team at gtd healthcare;
- sit on relevant committees to discuss how safety issues should be addressed by providing appropriate challenges to ensure learning and change;
- are a member of and attend relevant meetings, which will mostly be held remotely via Microsoft Teams. Other options are available for candidates who do not have IT access.
What kind of work are patient safety partners involved in?
Patient safety partners:
- hold membership on safety and quality committees including the governance and risk committee, whose responsibilities include the review and analysis of safety data;
- are involved in patient safety improvement projects including the review and development of the Patient Safety Incident Response Policy and Patient Safety Incident Response Plan;
- work with the gtd healthcare Board to consider how to improve safety;
- are involved in patient safety training for staff;
- participate in investigation oversight groups.
gtd healthcare's patient safety partners
The first patient safety partners have been appointed, which marks a significant step in enhancing safety and service quality across gtd healthcare.
These partners are members of the community who will provide valuable insights into patient experience.
Callum Rimmer, head of risk and safety and patient safety specialist, said the role is designed to improve patient safety across healthcare.
“I’m really pleased to welcome Steph Wilmore and Debra Ruding, our two partners from the community, who will be working across the organisation to represent patient voices and contribute to creating a safer organisation,” he said.
“Steph and Debra will also be involved in the ongoing work of the governance and risk committee.”
Their onboarding aligns with the NHS Patient Safety Strategy, which emphasises the importance of involving patients in safety initiatives and ensuring their voices are heard.
To find out more about Steph and Debra, please click on the links below.
Steph Wilmore
“Hi everyone! I’m one of your patient safety partners. I live in Audenshaw and love my local area, which is why I wanted to get involved in a role where I could make a difference in my community and hopefully beyond. I believe everyone has the right to good quality and safe healthcare, so I am keen to advocate for that. It’s a great idea that patient views are being sought to enhance the safety of our services and I’m excited to be a part of this - with lots of coffee and biscuits in hand, of course!”
Debra Ruding
“Hello, my name is Debra, and I am delighted to introduce myself as one of the two new patient safety partners at gtd healthcare. I look forward to collaborating with you to improve patient safety across the organisation.
“Born and raised in Denton, I decided to return home after a career spent on the wrong side of the Pennines. My work has primarily focused on youth and adult career counselling in the public and private sectors, including multi-agency teams in healthcare. As a service developer with a keen interest in utilising the client’s voice to enhance and develop new ways of working, I am confident that my skills will translate well to healthcare settings.
“I am registered with a gtd healthcare practice and have been an active participant in the patient participation group for the past year. In addition to my own experiences, I am aware of several key issues affecting patients in a community setting.
“It is a privilege to represent the patient voice and support the organisation in developing new approaches to patient safety.”
If you would like to know more, please email Callum Rimmer, gtd healthcare’s head of risk and safety, via callum.rimmer@nhs.net.
