http://www.hsj.co.uk/RSS/patient_safety_rss.xml  The latest patient safety stories from HSJ en-uk Royal Free Hampstead trust has reported it has not had any central line catheter-related bloodstream infections for a year. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/royal_free_reports_year_free_of_central_line_infections.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/royal_free_reports_year_free_of_central_line_infections.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 25 July 2008 13:02 The Healthcare Commission's investigation into mental health inpatient services paints a troubling picture. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/opinion/editorscomment/2008/07/mental_health_training_shortage_hits_progress_on_safety.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/opinion/editorscomment/2008/07/mental_health_training_shortage_hits_progress_on_safety.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Richard Vize 24 July 2008 09:00 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/vize-richard_resized_70_tcm11-913969.jpg Final plans for conducting regular checks on doctors to improve patient safety were unveiled today by chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/doctors_to_be_revalidated_every_five_years.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/doctors_to_be_revalidated_every_five_years.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 23 July 2008 13:54 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals trust has been fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs and compensation following an injury to a patient in its care. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/oxford_trust_fined_for_injury_to_patient.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/oxford_trust_fined_for_injury_to_patient.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 22 July 2008 12:20 MPs on the health select committee are to conduct an inquiry into patient safety.Committee chairman Kevin Barron announced yesterday that the investigation would start in the autumn. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/health_select_committee_announces_patient_safety_probe.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/health_select_committee_announces_patient_safety_probe.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 18 July 2008 12:58 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/theatre_resized_70_tcm11-310329.jpg MRSA bloodstream infections fell by 30 per cent last year - the greatest annual reduction in the last five years - new figures published by the Department of Health show. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/mrsa_drop.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/mrsa_drop.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 17 July 2008 13:34 Inadequate communication and weak teamwork often feature in reports of patient safety incidents to the National Patient Safety Agency ("Anyone here a doctor who speaks nurse?"). http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/opinion/readersvoices/2008/07/raise_the_sbar.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/opinion/readersvoices/2008/07/raise_the_sbar.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 10 July 2008 09:00 The Healthcare Commission is demanding improvements in maternity care after a huge review showed some women are put at risk by shortages of staff, beds and bathrooms. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/07/healthcare_commission_demands_maternity_improvements.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/07/healthcare_commission_demands_maternity_improvements.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Christian Duffin 10 July 2008 09:00 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/generic-baby-feet-2_resized_70_tcm11-148346.jpg Independent investigations into the care and treatment of two mental health patients who went on to kill have highlighted a lack of support for mental health team managers. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/07/sw_london_and_st_georges.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/07/sw_london_and_st_georges.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Jo Stephenson 10 July 2008 09:00 Following a focus on acute trusts, this month the National Patient Safety Agency's clean your hands campaign is extending out to primary care, mental health, care and ambulance trusts across England and Wales. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/npsa.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/07/npsa.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 08 July 2008 12:12 Healthcare organisations need to prepare themselves for the challenges of dealing with an inquest, particularly in light of the Human Rights Act and the forthcoming Coroners Bill. Simon Tait and Barbara Anthony explain http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/goodmanagement/2008/06/dealing_with_an_inquest.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/goodmanagement/2008/06/dealing_with_an_inquest.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Simon Tait 04 July 2008 09:00 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/gavel_resized_70_tcm11-992240.jpg Government proposals on regulation would weaken safety standards and allow risky services to operate without a licence, the healthcare watchdog has warned. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/06/regulation_plans_would_water_down_safety_standards__healthcare_commission.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/06/regulation_plans_would_water_down_safety_standards__healthcare_commission.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Charlotte Santry 26 June 2008 09:00 Tower of Babel-esque communication problems in the NHS are more than just a nuisance - they cost lives. How can the service prevent acronyms, tribes and egos putting patients at unavoidable risk, asks Mark Gould http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/insideknowledge/features/2008/06/anyone_here_a_doctor_who_speaks_nurse.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/insideknowledge/features/2008/06/anyone_here_a_doctor_who_speaks_nurse.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Mark Gould 23 June 2008 09:00 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/faces_resized_70_tcm11-1620984.jpg Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals trust has been issued with an improvement notice by the Healthcare Commission for breaching the hygiene code. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/06/trust_breached_hygiene_code.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/announcements/2008/06/trust_breached_hygiene_code.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B 20 June 2008 14:37 One hundred trusts have pledged their support to a patient safety campaign launched at the NHS Confederation conference that aims to achieve "no avoidable death, no avoidable harm". http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/NHS_Confed_rolling_news/2008/06/trusts_sign_up_to_patient_safety_campaign.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/NHS_Confed_rolling_news/2008/06/trusts_sign_up_to_patient_safety_campaign.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Rebecca Allmark 20 June 2008 13:34 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/Stephen-Ramsden_resized_70_tcm11-266894.jpg Less than a quarter of primary care trusts believe their services have met all government quality standards. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/06/pcts_let_standards_fall.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/06/pcts_let_standards_fall.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Charlotte Santry 19 June 2008 09:00 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/generic-rubber-glove_resized_70_tcm11-227234.jpg NHS trusts have been served with a "wake-up call" to improve hygiene standards or risk service closures, following the latest annual health check declarations. More than a quarter of trusts have told the Healthcare Commission they failed to comply fully with the hygiene code in 2007-08. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/06/hygiene_code_failures_a_wakeup_call.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/news/2008/06/hygiene_code_failures_a_wakeup_call.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Charlotte Santry 16 June 2008 16:11 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/Mug-Anna-Walker_resized_70_tcm11-75945.jpg There is an old adage, "if you can't measure it, you can't manage it", and measurement has been a big ingredient of NHS performance management. http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/goodmanagement/2008/05/stephen_ramsden_on_measurement_for_improvement.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/goodmanagement/2008/05/stephen_ramsden_on_measurement_for_improvement.html;jsessionid=394FC8B243B49061500F967133FEC44B Stephen Ramsden 09 June 2008 09:00 http://www.hsj.co.uk:80/images/Stephen-Ramsden_resized_70_tcm11-266894.jpg