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Risk Management
Why do we want to manage risk?
Where can I find our more about risk management?
How can I raise concerns about risk?
What will happen if I have made a mistake?
Why do we want to manage risk?
- To ensure the safety of ourselves, our patients and visitors
- To ensure the best possible care and treatment for our patients
- To maintain our reputation as a provider of excellent patient care
- By implementing the Trust's Risk Management strategy
- By ensuring that statutory safety measures are in place
- By complying with NHS risk management guidance and ensuring the implementation of the Controls Assurance agenda
- By ensuring that risks are recognised and dealt with wherever possible
- By knowing when things go wrong - "incidents", or almost go wrong - "near misses", and learning from our experience
- By ensuring that all our staff are competent to carry out their duties safely, confidently and effectively
- By training staff in clinical and non-clinical risk management
- By ensuring that policies and procedures are properly followed
- By making risk management part of everyone's everyday business
Clinical risk relates to any aspect of a patient's diagnosis, treatment and care - e.g. drug administration error, loss of a test result, wrong diagnosis or equipment. It could also result from delay in making appointments, or faulty equipment.
Clinical risk is not just a matter for clinicians. If your job has anything to do with patients receiving care and treatment, you can help to reduce clinical risk.
Non-clinical risk relates to all the other risks that might occur in a large organisation like a hospital. These include health and safety, financial risks such as fraud or theft, and less obvious risks such as loss of reputation.
Are they managed differently?
In practice, the distinction between clinical and non-clinical risk is not always clear, and the principles of risk management are the same for both. That is why Green Park has one policy and strategy for all types of risk, and why our risk management team works together to ensure a systematic and consistent approach to risk throughout the Trust.
This systematic approach is called "Governance", and is a central part of the NHS strategy.
Clinical risk management is a part of Clinical Governance.
Non-clinical risk management is a part of Corporate Governance.
You must ensure that you:
- Carry out your work safely (in compliance with Health and Safety legislation)
- Only do tasks for which you are trained and competent
- Read, understand and comply with Trust policies and procedures that
- Apply to your job and work area
- Apply to all staff within the Trust
- Know how to operate any equipment you use safely and effectively
- Keep full, accurate and legible records as required
- Keep your work safe for you and everyone else
- Recognise hazards - and do something about them quickly
- Know how to report faults - and report them
- Know how to report incidents/accidents and "near misses" - and report them within two working days
- Know how to report any concerns you have about your own or your colleagues' ability to work safely and effectively
- Don't leave it up to somebody else
Where can I find out more about risk management?
Risk management issues are now included in the Trust's induction programme, and will be built into all local induction programmes over the next year.
Members of the Clinical Governance team will be able to tell you more about risk management in your own area.
Telephone: 028 9090 2000 ext 2500 (Health and Safety) or ext 2546 (Complaints and Clinical Risk)
How can I raise concerns about risks?
You can, and should, raise concerns about actual or possible risk with your line manager and/or the Clinical Risk Manager. If you are reluctant to do this you can contact any member of the Clinical Governance team.
If your concern is about the behaviour or competence of another staff member, the Trust's Whistle Blowing Policy will guide you and tell you who to contact.
If you spot a problem try to sort it out immediately. If you can't rectify it - you report it! |
What will happen if I have made a mistake?
All human beings make mistakes. When a mistake occurs the Trust's priorities are:
- The safety of those put at risk
- Prevention /reduction of immediate harm
- Supporting the patients, families and staff involved in the incident
- Ensuring the mistake doesn't happen again
The Trust considers all cases individually:
Formal disciplinary action should not routinely follow from staff members reporting an incident where they are subsequently found to be at fault.
Formal disciplinary action may result where:
• An individual persists in unsafe practice
• There is a deliberate failure to report, or an attempt to cover up, an incident
• A breach of criminal law or professional conduct has occurred
Help us to spot the problem!
In all types of organisation, every major incident usually happens after a number of minor incidents or near misses. Prompt, open and honest reporting of incidents and near misses is one of the best ways you can help to prevent a major incident.