Safer Clinical Systems [SCS] is a form of action research with health organisations to see how far a system based approach could contribute to improved patient safety. This is funded by The Health Foundation and led by a team from Warwick Medical School. Orcni supported Phase 1 of this work and is now taking a substantial role in Phase 2. Hugh Flanagan is the Programme Director working with Professor Matthew Cooke of WMS who is leading the programme.
A key issue is the definition of 'a system' and understanding how improving it relates to measurable patient harm. The work done so far underlines the need to take a systems approach to achieve sustainable improvements in safety but that, by definition, it is complex and challenging.
From this work and other research, we know that processes of care are unreliable and that there is great variation in practice between teams, services and organisations which leads to variable outcomes for patients. It has the potential to lead to errors and the increased risk of harm. Rather than waiting for adverse events or harm to occur and then seeking root cause[s] the alternative approach emerging is to develop the means to establish reliable systems and a culture capable of addressing unsafe care in whatever form it takes and proactively seeking to manage it.
www.health.org.uk/areas-of-work/improvement-programmes/safer-clinical-systems