Scotland’s Essentials of Safe Care refreshed following national review
Healthcare Improvement Scotland has completed a review of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme’s (SPSP) Essentials of Safe Care
SPSP is a national quality improvement programme which aims to improve the safety and reliability of care and reduce harm. The Essentials of Safe Care is a key component of this programme. They underpin all the programmes of work and help to create the conditions for safe care and improved outcomes for every person, every time across health and care.
The essential drivers of safe care
The Essentials of Safe Care identifies 4 key essentials, central to supporting the safe delivery of care across health and care.
- A people-led approach to the planning and delivery of safe care
- Effective and inclusive communication
- Leadership at all levels to support a culture of safety
- Safe clinical and care processes
Developed through national co-design
The EoSC were shaped through a review process involving:
- NHS boards
- health and social care partners
- royal colleges, professional bodies
- people with lived experience
How to use the Essentials of Safe Care
Health and care teams can use the package to:
- reflect on how well the foundations for safe care are in place
- identify areas for improvement
- plan local action
- assess readiness for change using the newly revised Readiness for Change Toolkit. The toolkit has been refreshed in line with the Scottish Approach to Change
The EoSC is now being embedded within SPSP work programmes.