Fostering Patient Safety and Quality Governance in 2025: A Year of Collaboration and Progress at the Independent Healthcare Providers Network

As the Head of Patient Safety and Quality Governance at the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), my role is all about supporting our members in providing the very best care and ensuring patient safety. With 2025 well underway, I’m excited to lead a range of initiatives that aim to strengthen the safety culture within healthcare, enhance governance practices, and help our members navigate the evolving healthcare landscape. From adapting to new data systems to facilitating networking opportunities via forums and events, these initiatives are designed to help our members stay ahead of challenges and to continue offering outstanding care.

Supporting the Transition to LFPSE

One of the biggest changes for healthcare providers in 2025 is the shift to the new Learning From Patient Safety Events (LFPSE) system. This system, which replaces the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS), offers an improved way to manage and learn from patient safety incidents. While transitions like this can be tricky, we’re here to support our members through the IHPN LFPSE Reference Group.

This group has been created to provide a supportive space where healthcare providers can share experiences, troubleshoot challenges and discuss best practices. We’re working together to help our members get the most out of the new system, build confidence, and ensure it’s used effectively for reporting and learning.

Ongoing Support Through PSIRF and Patient Safety Partner Implementation Groups

In addition to the LFPSE transition, I continue to lead the IHPN PSIRF (Patient Safety Incident Response Framework) Reference Group. PSIRF encourages a shift towards a culture that focuses on learning from incidents rather than placing blame. Our groups provide a space for healthcare providers to discuss how PSIRF is being applied, explore challenges, and work towards building a more transparent and learning-driven culture across the independent healthcare sector.

Another exciting initiative gaining momentum in 2025 is our IHPN Patient Safety Partner Implementation Group. This group focuses on recruitment of Patient Safety Partners (PSPs) into organisations. By ensuring that patients’ voices are heard, members are making safety strategies more inclusive and reflective of those who experience care firsthand. This group offers support and networking opportunities for members as they integrate PSPs into their organisations.

Addressing Sexual Safety Together: North and South Sexual Safety Sessions

In 2025, we’re maintaining our attention on sexual safety in the workplace. Whilst sexual harassment may not be seen to have a direct impact on patient safety it can certainly have a significant impact on those caring for patients which in turn could impact patient safety.

That said, we’ve partnered with Browne Jacobson to host in-person North and South Sexual Safety Sessions, where members can come together to hear from expert speakers and share their progress on the NHSE Sexual Safety Charter.

These sessions will feature a range of expert speakers, including the Association of Ambulances, NHSE DASV Team, Browne Jacobson, Royal College of Surgeons, HCPC, GMC and the Professional Standards Authority. The discussions will provide our members with the opportunity to reflect on their work, learn from others, and take away practical strategies to improve sexual safety within their organisations.

Celebrating Excellence in Patient Safety: 2025 Patient Safety Leads and Specialists Event

We’re also looking forward to hosting our third “Celebrating Excellence in Patient Safety” event. This will be a wonderful opportunity for Patient Safety Leads and Specialists across the independent healthcare sector to come together. The theme of the event, “Building a Safer Tomorrow: Patient Safety Principles in Action,” will highlight the fantastic work being done in the independent sector and showcase how the Patient Safety Principles are helping to improve patient outcomes.

The event will bring together patient safety leaders, experts, and practitioners to share knowledge and learn from one another. It’s a chance to network, collaborate, and continue the vital work of embedding safety throughout the sector.

Share & Learn Community of Practice: A Space for Continuous Improvement

Finally, in 2025, we have planned four IHPN Share & Learn Community of Practice meetings. These sessions are designed to bring our members together to explore real case studies, learn from incidents, and discuss how human factors thinking can help us improve patient safety. Each meeting will include input from a Human Factors expert, who will guide discussions and help identify key themes and areas for improvement which are shared sector wide.

These sessions offer a valuable opportunity for members to learn from one another’s experiences, share insights, and collaborate on developing strategies to reduce risk and enhance safety across the sector.

Looking Ahead: A Year of Collaboration for Patient Safety

As I reflect on the initiatives planned for 2025, I’m excited to see that collaboration will continue to be the core of our work. Whether it’s through the LFPSE Reference Group, PSIRF groups, IHPN Forums or Patient Safety Partner initiatives, my goal is to create supportive networks where healthcare providers can share knowledge, overcome challenges, and drive improvements in patient safety.

The Celebrating Excellence in Patient Safety event in September will be an important milestone in this journey, providing a platform to celebrate the progress being made across the independent sector and showcase how IHPN members are working toward a safer, more transparent, collaborative and patient-centered healthcare system.

By supporting our members through these initiatives, I’m confident we can continue to support our members to build a safer tomorrow for all patients. 2025 is shaping up to be a year of networking and continuous improvement in patient safety, and I’m thrilled to be part of this journey alongside our dedicated and inspiring members.

As we start to work through our 2025 work programme, please take a moment to consider and let me know if we’ve missed anything or if there are any additional points we should consider. Your input is really valuable to make sure we’ve covered everything. Here’s to an exciting year ahead!