Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care

A national drive to improve patient safety is
extending to all healthcare settings,
including primary care. General practice
does not have the same infrastructure to
support governance and safety
arrangements as large acute trusts, and
there has not been the same level of
national learning. However, a new system of
professional regulation requires nurses in all
settings to show how they promote a safety
culture. This article shows how joining the
Sign up to Safety campaign allows primary
care organisations and individuals to access
a network of support and shared learning to
make improvements in their places of work.
Better reporting of patient safety incidents
using a new national e-form will also help to
develop and spread best practice.