North West London NIHR Patient Safety Research Collaboration

At the start of 2020, patients in the UK had never been safer - then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Two years on, patient safety is at higher risk, and the need to improve it is more crucial than ever.

Since the pandemic began, the NIHR Imperial Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, working with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Institute of Global Health Innovation, has made significant contributions to the internationally admired REACT programme, supporting the safe introduction of antigen and antibody testing at home.

We also implemented safe methods of remote home monitoring and showed how SMS reminders can increase uptake of screening and vaccination. In total, we have published 977 papers in the past five years, including 321 that were cited more than 10 times.

Our PSRC vision for the next five years is to improve the safety of both patients and healthcare workers by: Reducing inequalities in safety outcomes among different patient and staff groups; Tackling unresolved challenges in patient safety (differences in provider and patient behaviours, increasing complexity and severity of patient presentations); Addressing the challenges and lessons of the pandemic (longer waiting lists, transitioning to new models of care); Harnessing transformative technologies to improve care, while addressing its current limitations.

To meet these aims we have defined four themes: Influencing patient and healthcare worker behaviours to optimise safety and minimise risk.

We will work with patients, carers and healthcare professionals to co-design and test interventions which support behaviours in patients and healthcare workers that promote safety and reduce harm. Developing and testing technologies that enhance medication safety. We will explore various patient safety practices and systems designed to improve the safety of medication use.

Using integrated care data to address patient safety challenges.

We will assess the optimum datasets required to monitor patient safety across primary, secondary, mental health and social care, as Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) become statutory bodies in 2022. Evaluating and integrating patient safety in the design of new service delivery models.

We will assess the safety of virtual consultations, remote monitoring, centralisation of services, and other developments employed in response to COVID-19. Our theme leads come from diverse clinical and scientific backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders.

Senior NHS leaders both locally and nationally will be formally involved in the process to ensure our impact is truly national.

Our long experience has taught us that wise leadership, effective operations. and sensible budget management - together with exceptional partners and collaborators - are key to boosting our impact and improving the public s well-being.