Ipswich Hospital Trust introduces end-to-end patient safety & complaints management using Datix

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, which employs 4,000 staff and provides healthcare services to more than 356,000 people, has deployed Datix patient safety software. Ipswich Hospital is taking advantage of the web-based capabilities of Datix to create a fully integrated framework that manages adverse incidents, risks, claims and complaints across the organisation. In principle, Ipswich Hospital can track end-to-end progress of a patient from their initial incident to their contact with PALS (Patient Advice & Liaison Service) through to making a complaint and then a claim.

The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust originally installed Datix patient safety software to meet the increasing demand from other parts of the Trust to have greater involvement in managing the complaints process. Over time, the Trust has expanded the Datix implementation to accommodate changing business requirements.

Alison Davis, Risk Management Co-ordinator at Ipswich Hospital commented, “Technology is key to supporting our vision for excellence. Over the years, we have worked closely with Datix to create a robust, integrated patient safety framework that places patients at the heart of everything we do by managing adverse incidents, risks, claims and complaints across the whole organisation effectively, at the click of a mouse.”

Ipswich Hospital has noticed significant benefits since deploying Datix especially in terms of simplifying the organisation’s complaints management process.

All those involved with a complaint now have instant access to all details provoking a much fuller and faster response than before the web-based Datix system was implemented, when only the complaints co-ordinator handled the investigative process. The Datix system is now set up so that expert practitioners, such as medical specialists, can see what complaints are coming in and comment on them without having to complete the whole complaints management process themselves.

Culturally, the Datix system has played an important role in encouraging senior clinical staff to engage more actively in the continual improvement process by enabling them to comment on complaints in real-time.

Similarly, Datix has provided the Trust with an invaluable tool for proactively monitoring risk across the organisation. Each business unit holds its own risk register within Datix and can use the unique dashboard facility to flag up high risk items that demand priority attention. The introduction of Datix for risk management has developed an excellent process for what Alison Davis refers to as “horizon scanning” whereby the Trust’s Board of Directors and Risk Management Committee members can see at a glance the status of all risks.

Jonathan Hazan, CEO of Datix, concluded, “NHS organisations today are under increasing pressure to maximise their resources, meet ambitious targets for complaints resolution as well as deliver everyday patient care and confidentiality of the highest quality. With decades of experience developing watertight solutions for NHS organisations, Datix provides the perfect vehicle for Trusts like Ipswich Hospital who strive for excellence and put patients at the heart of everything they do. Our technology enables best-practice ways of working that demonstrably support the management of incidents, risks and complaints across the organisation.”

The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust provides healthcare to more than 356,000 people who live in and around the city of Ipswich and East Suffolk. The hospital covers 46 acres, employs 4,000 staff and serves more than 4,000 patients and visitors every day.

The Trust strongly believes that the hospital belongs to the community which plays a vital role in the life of the organisation. Staff are supported by an enthusiastic team of 400 volunteers, local people who generously give their time to provide extra help including running the hospital’s very own radio station, Hospital Radio Ipswich. In addition, the Trust’s own big band – The Ipswich Hospital Band – has raised many thousands of pounds for health related charities throughout the years.

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust’s vision is to be the hospital of choice by placing patients at the centre of everything it does, based on principles of quality and safety, access and accountability within a continuously improving environment. For more information, please visit: www.ipswichhospital.nhs.uk

Datix has been a pioneer in the field of patient safety since 1986 and is today the leading supplier of software for patient safety, risk management, incident and adverse event reporting. Datix aims to help healthcare organisations build a culture and practice that drives excellence in patient safety. It recruits and retains people committed to the healthcare sector and continually invests in its software and services to ensure that it integrates best practice and learning.

Datix is focused on the health and social care sector. Its customers include public and private hospitals, primary care providers, GP surgeries, mental health and ambulance service providers. Its clients also include organisations delivering care home and domiciliary care services. Within the UK this includes more than 70% of the National Health Service. Internationally the Datix client base is growing rapidly and includes large scale deployments in Canada and the USA as well as clients in Europe and Australia.

Datix is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. To learn more, visit www.datix.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 8971 1971