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Helen Hughes

@helenh49.bsky.social
599 followers 468 following 100 posts

Passionate about patient safety, social justice and democracy. And cats. And trains Check out Patient Safety Learning’s free learning platform for patient safety - resources, networks and more www.pslhub.org

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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
An excellent reflection on the challenges of introducing a valuable and well intended initiative that may have unintended consequences. I guess the author reflects the experience of other organisations too; difficult to tell from the evaluation to date 👇️ www.pslhub.org/learn/improv...
pslhub.org
Martha's Rule: A valuable patient safety tool facing new challenges
In an anonymous blog, a critical care outreach nurse in an acute NHS Trust shares their experience of rolling out Martha's Rule
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Impressive analysis of a long standing complex issue - how we are failing to learn from patients👇 www.pslhub.org/learn/digita...
pslhub.org
Is integrated patient experience intelligence finally possible in the NHS? Part 1: Fragmentation
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Are we normalising an unsafe system? Stark new figures today from a study of 134 A&Es in Wales, Northern Ireland and England highlight the serious patient safety consequences of overcrowding in A&E departments and corridor care. www.pslhub.org/news/overcro...
pslhub.org
Overcrowding in A&E linked to 'hundreds of deaths' every week, study finds
Overcrowding in accident and emergency (A&E) departments and corridor care is linked to hundreds of deaths every week in the UK, a new study has found.A review of more than 19,000 adult patients…
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Very valuable reflections Clive Flashman and highlighting some of the gaps that are risks for patient safety👇 www.pslhub.org/learn/digita...
pslhub.org
Reflections on the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare recommendations
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Today is World Patient Safety Day, which calls for global action by all countries and international partners to improve patient safety. Find out more about this year's event and its theme, safe care for noncommunicable diseases, in our new blog: www.pslhub.org/learn/organi...
pslhub.org
World Patient Safety Day 2026
This year’s 2026 World Patient Safety Day on 17 September is focused on the theme ”Safe care for non-communicable diseases”. This article explains the aims of the event and the areas it will cover.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Making dementia a patient safety priority. I’ve personal family experience of this awful disease and this blog is excellent. www.pslhub.org/learn/patien...
pslhub.org
Making patient safety work for people living with dementia
Bella Smith, Policy Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, reflects on what safe care means for people living with dementia
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Please share to those that are interested and promoting World Patient Safety Day👇️ www.pslhub.org/learn/organi... #WorldPatientSafetyDay
pslhub.org
World Patient Safety Day goals 2026: Safe care for noncommunicable diseases
This document details a set of goals from the World Health Organization for World Patient Safety Day 2026.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
"None of the five actions is a technology problem, which is why AI in the NHS keeps producing good evidence and poor spread." Hope someone is listening and acting on this wise advice. www.pslhub.org/learn/digita...
pslhub.org
After the AI model works is when things get challenging
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Our reflections on AVT and support for @hssib.bsky.social investigation. We outline the value of the proposed approach and suggest a wide range of issues we think need to incorporated into this important work. Great to be collaborating on this review. www.pslhub.org/learn/patien...
pslhub.org
Ambient voice technology: exploring the patient safety risks (Patient Safety Learning)
In this blog, Patient Safety Learning considers the key patient safety risks related to the use of ambient voice technology in healthcare.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
This blog deserves to be shared, read and embraced by every leader in healthcare, especially Board members (execs and non execs). Thank you so much for your insights, reflections and tenacity Beatrice Fraenkel. www.pslhub.org/learn/cultur...
pslhub.org
The relationship between culture, leadership, trust and organisational resilience
Blog exploring the relationship between culture, leadership, and patient safety, and how one organisation’s journey shows both the power of getting it right and the risks when it begins to unravel
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Has a national system really been implemented without going through the required regulatory assessment for patient safety? If so, surely this deserves an immediate review with transparent explanations and risk mitigations? Read more in our latest blog below👇️ www.pslhub.org/learn/invest...
pslhub.org
Advice and guidance services: Patient Safety Learning’s response to the latest HSSIB report (20 August 2026)
Summary On the 18 August 2026 the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) published a new report looking at patient safety risks related to advice and guidance (A&G) services in the NHS in…
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Incredibly powerful, the emotional and practical reality of discharge from a patient’s perspective 👇️ www.pslhub.org/learn/patien...
pslhub.org
The discharge gap: when hospital care ends
In this blog, hub Topic leader Risa Mallory, explores the patient experience of discharge. Risa highlights how process-driven approaches don’t always provide patients with the reassurance and support…
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
AI clearly has a huge opportunity to improve efficiency. But what about effectiveness, productivity and most importantly, safety? In this blog, @cflashman.bsky.social expands on issues and the risks that we must address. A must read! www.pslhub.org/learn/digita...
pslhub.org
AI is now the top risk to patient safety—what can organisations and patients do to protect themselves?
Clive Flashman considers questions posed by participants at a recent panel discussion exploring the patient safety risks associated with the application of AI technologies in healthcare
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
"Digital transformation programmes should be evaluated not just on implementation metrics but on their impact on patient safety, equity and continuity of care." - Darren Kilroy on the challenges of moving a Trust to a new electronic patient record system. www.pslhub.org/learn/commis...
pslhub.org
Implementing an EPR in the middle of a crisis: what I learned about safety, leadership and organisational readiness
Darren Kilroy shares the challenges he experienced of moving a Trust to a new electronic patient record (EPR) system
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Interesting reflections and proposals for genuine patient and family engagement. Peter Sidgwick reflects on experience and ambition at @greatormondst.bsky.social but this applies widely to all services. www.pslhub.org/learn/patien... @patientsafetylearning.org
pslhub.org
Paediatric patient safety investigations: meaningful feedback for families
Peter Sidgwick is a Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care at Great Ormond Street Hospital. In this short video (2mins 39secs) he talks about how to make feedback more meaningful for families…
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
"These experiences are not isolated incidents. They are recurring patterns that expose women to preventable harm." Excellent contribution to World Patient Safety Day 2026 ⬇️ www.pslhub.org/learn/patien... @patientsafetylearning.org
pslhub.org
Women’s heart health is a patient safety issue
In this blog for World Patient Safety Day, Risa Mallory and Karen Padilla discuss women’s heart health inequities from both an individual advocate’s and advocacy organisation’s perspective
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
In this new blog I talk about some of the themes, challenges and opportunities that emerged across the our Patient Safety Forum earlier this year, hosted by Public Policy Projects in partnership with @patientsafetylearning.org. www.pslhub.org/learn/patien...
pslhub.org
Continuing the conversation: Insights from the Patient Safety Forum 2026
Helen Hughes, Chief Executive of Patient Safety Learning, reflects on this year’s Patient Safety Forum that shed light on some of the key challenges in patient safety today.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Much more needed for effective #psirf implementation. This matters. We need to learn why avoidable harm happens and act on it. Good report by #hssib and please see our response from Patient Safety Learning
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
In our World Patient Safety Day blog we call for action to address the persistence of avoidable harm and share resources specific to this year’s theme “Safe care for every newborn and child”. Please review and share widely.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
In our World Patienr Safety Day blog we call for action to address the persistence of avoidable harm and share resources specific to this year’s theme “Safe care for every newborn and child”. Please review and share widely.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
‘By involving frontline staff in the design, testing and implementation phases of introducing a new electronic system—or any new procedure, policy or tool—you may uncover these workarounds much sooner and be able to design them out.’
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Great to be able to collaborate and support this important #patientsafety issue
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
A Trust in Cornwall said to their board that cyber security of health systems underwrites #patientsafety. Absolutely and an avoidable death sadly proves that 😥
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Reposted by Helen Hughes
Patient Safety Learning @patientsafetylearning.org · 26/06/2025
In this she talks about collaborating with the Patient Safety Partners Network, hosted on our patient safety platform the hub, in the past year. Read more about this in the blog below⬇️ www.pslhub.org/learn/leader...
pslhub.org
Championing the patient voice: a recent discussion with the Patient Safety Commissioner at the Patient Safety Partners Network
This blog provides an overview of a Patient Safety Partners Network where the Patient Safety Commissioner presented
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
Is there a playbook of tactics used by Trusts to ‘manage’ whistleblowers? Yes, say the interviewees from our speaking up series.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Impressive networking and sharing on all things #patientsafety. If you’re UK based, do join!
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Reposted by Helen Hughes
Patient Safety Learning @patientsafetylearning.org · 02/06/2025
News article on the hub today - Pennsylvania’s patient safety database tops 300,000 reports, a first in 2024. www.pslhub.org/blogs/entry/... (via Betsy Lehman Center)
pslhub.org
Pennsylvania’s patient safety database tops 300,000 reports, a first in 2024
With more than 300,000 patient safety incidents and serious events reported, Pennsylvania’s patient safety database reached a new milestone in 2024. Analysis by the state’s Patient Safety Authority (P...
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Reposted by Helen Hughes
Patient Safety Learning @patientsafetylearning.org · 03/06/2025
(1/4) Corridor care is increasingly being used in the NHS as demand for emergency care grows and hospital departments struggle with patient numbers. On the hub you can find a series of blogs highlighting key #patientsafety concerns relating to corridor care. www.pslhub.org/learn/improv...
pslhub.org
Corridor care and patient safety
Corridor care is increasingly being used in the NHS as demand for emergency care grows and hospital departments struggle with patient numbers. In a series of blogs for the hub, we shine a light on som...
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
Excellent interview with a leading ergonomics, culture and healthcare leader
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Reposted by Helen Hughes
NIHR Yorkshire and Humber PSRC @yhpsrc.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
We’re thrilled to launch our new podcast series; Stories of Safety! Join us for exclusive conversations with leading figures on what #patientsafety means, how it’s been shaped, & what the future holds. 🎙️Listen now to Episode 1 with @shaunlintern.bsky.social : psrc-yh.nihr.ac.uk/latest/podca...
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Patient Safety Learning @patientsafetylearning.org · 07/05/2025
🆕In this report we analyse a sample of 13 Patient Safety Incident Response Plans, reflecting on what these tell us about the implementation of new Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) in the NHS. www.pslhub.org/learn/patien...
pslhub.org
What do Patient Safety Incident Response Plans tell us about how the NHS is approaching safety investigations?
Patient Safety Learning analysis of Patient Safety Incident Response Plans
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Powerful and often shocking ‘must view/read’ whistleblowing testimony in the NHS. This led to Bernie’s career change and the most fulfilling work of her life—supporting others to speak up and be heard. For this she has received an MBE and a Churchill Fellowship award.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Powerful and often shocking ‘must view/read’ whistleblowing testimony in the NHS. This led to Bernie’s career change and the most fulfilling work of her life—supporting others to speak up and be heard. For this she has received an MBE and a Churchill Fellowship award.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Just announced. Please share widely
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
It is difficult to imagine that this type of results in other safety-critical industries—where the consequences of incidents may also be serious injury or loss of life—would be considered acceptable.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
There still remains a significant gap between what NHS organisations say to employees about speaking up and creating the actual conditions where they feel safe to follow this advice. No significant improvement this year. As previous years. This matters
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
It was a fantastic event. Planning 2026 already!
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
Valuable local-level learning prompts for acute hospitals. A complex set of factors that could apply broadly. Could they affect your organisation, your patients?
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
This blog highlights the challenges that patients have in raising concerns about what makes them safe
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Reposted by Helen Hughes
Roger Kline @rogerkline.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Why policies, procedures and training in isolation will not change culture or employment relations. Much of HR needs a rethink bmjleader.bmj.com/content/7/4/...
bmjleader.bmj.com
Paradigm lost? Reflections on the effectiveness of NHS approaches to improving employment relations
The National Health Service in England has largely relied on a human resources trilogy of policies, procedures and training to improve organisational culture. Evidence from four interventions using th...
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Reposted by Helen Hughes
Patient Safety Learning @patientsafetylearning.org · 03/03/2025
Are you a patient, relative or carer frustrated with navigating the healthcare system? Or is your GP practice or Trust doing something innovative to make it easier for patients? Share your experience with us on the hub. www.pslhub.org/forums/topic... #patientsafety
pslhub.org
The challenges of navigating the healthcare system
In a new series of blogs on the hub, patients and their relatives describe the challenges and barriers they have faced when trying to navigate the healthcare system. What has been your experience of n...
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Reposted by Helen Hughes
Patient Safety Learning @patientsafetylearning.org · 03/03/2025
Upcoming Safety For All webinar featured on the hub: ▶️The Invisible Hazard: Tackling Surgical Smoke for Healthcare Worker and Patient Safety 🗓️Wednesday 2 April 2025 ⏰12:00 - 13:00 BST More details below⬇️ www.pslhub.org/events/event...
pslhub.org
Safety For All webinar - The Invisible Hazard: Tackling Surgical Smoke for Healthcare Worker and Patient Safety
The Invisible Hazard: Tackling Surgical Smoke for Healthcare Worker and Patient Safety will delve into the risks posed by surgical smoke, its impact on both healthcare professionals and patients, and ...
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
The conversation also explores how target-led approaches and financial incentives have led to cultural changes in healthcare organisations over the past few decades.
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
‘The needs of patients should be central to improving health and care services, actively listening and acting on their experiences and insights when things go wrong for safety improvement.’
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
We hope this blog has shone a spotlight on some of the challenges people with ME and Long Covid face when accessing care. If you have ME or Long Covid, or care for someone who does, we’re keen to hear about your experiences
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
‘When safety culture is strong, staff feel empowered to speak up about concerns and systems are in place to mitigate risks. However, practices like corridor care can undermine these principles by creating environments where safety is compromised, staff morale declines and patient outcomes suffer.’
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
Cyber attacks and patient safety, please read our quote
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
System leaders need to be honest and transparent about the scale of problem and commit to working collaboratively to share practices to minimise the avoidable harm of corridor care
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
An incredibly insightful interview and a valuable start of our interview series on whistleblowing and speaking up. Is anyone listening?
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Helen Hughes @helenh49.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Excellent resources on #psychologicalsafety
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