NHS must learn from mistakes says RCM on new report

By RCM on 31 January 2017 Whistleblowing NHS England

The government must do more to coordinate its efforts to establish a culture of open-minded learning and investigation within the NHS in England, says the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee in a report  - Will the NHS never learn? Follow-up to PHSO report ‘Learning from Mistakes’ on the NHS in England  - published today.

Commenting on the report, Suzanne Tyler, Director for Services to Members at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: “This is an issue that the RCM has raised many times.

“NHS services must learn from mistakes in order to lessen the chances of them happening again. A failure to do this is failing the people the NHS is there to care for.

“It is also critical that NHS staff can report incidents or concerns about the care being delivered without any fear of not being listened to or of being harassed or bullied because they have spoken out.

“Staff must be encouraged and supported to report when things go wrong. We need cultures, not of fear, but of openness and transparency.”

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee report  - Will the NHS never learn? Follow-up to PHSO report ‘Learning from Mistakes’ on the NHS in England’ can be read at http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee/news-parliament-2015/phso-learning-from-mistakes-report-published-16-17/

To contact the RCM Press Office call 020 7312 3456 or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.

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Notes to editors

The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/.