Patient Safety and Serious Incident Responses The Essentials

This step-by-step guide takes the reader through the complex process of investigating serious incidents in health, social care and criminal justice environments, acknowledging differences of culture and context that shape an investigation. Taking a multi-disciplinary approach, this text begins by exploring the key principles of investigation, including ethical and legal perspectives, the involvement of families and carers, and being aware of unconscious bias among other issues. The second part outlines in detail the conduct of investigations, from planning to processing the findings before moving onto part three, carrying them out in diverse settings. Further chapters then look at investigating within diverse environments before moving onto to the final section which deals with reviewing and analysing the evidence collected and writing up the investigation. as well as learning that comes from an investigation and the pivotal issue of learning from, and disseminating the report. The inclusion of case studies, models of good practice and vignettes enable to reader to view each stage of the process in context and drive the transformation of practice. This practical resource is designed to support health and social care professionals who undertake investigations as part of their role, including nurses, allied health practitioners, social workers, doctors and psychologists as well as military personnel and law enforcers. It is an essential companion.