Our response to the Don Berwick Review

Following the publication of the Francis Report into the breakdown of care at Mid Staffordshire Hospitals, Don Berwick was asked by the Prime Minister was asked to carry out a review of patient safety.

This report highlights the main problems affecting patient safety in the NHS and makes recommendations to address them.

In response to the publication, Anna Bradley, Chair of Healthwatch England said:

“The recommendation that patients and their carers should be present, powerful and involved at all levels of healthcare organisations from wards to the boards of Trusts is one we fully endorse.

We welcome the move to have a more streamlined complaints system. Our own initial work on complaints across the health and care system has identified familiar issues for consumers such as lack of confidence, an overly complex system and limited confidence anything will actually happen with a complaint.

However, while the review helpfully highlights a number of recommendations that could put patient safety and experience at the heart of healthcare practice, the question remains how this will be put into practice and who will be held to account to ensure it happens.”