An Introduction to Clinical Governance and Patient Safety

Elizabeth Haxby was a consultant adult and paediatric cardiothoracic anaesthetist for four years until 2002 but now devotes her time solely to clinical risk management, patient safety and medico-legal work. She is a member of the Improvement faculty of the NHSIII and the faculty of the Leadership in Patient Safety programme. She is also a member of the Core team for Patient Safety First with a focus on Leadership and junior doctors. She lectures widely and has a particular interest in patient safety, consent, clinical risk assessment and evidence-based risk management as well as training. Her publications include papers on safety in clinical practice, particularly fibreoptic bronchoscopy for which she was an advisor to the European Respiratory Society Working Group, clinical risk management and training in risk management. She is an honorary senior lecture at the National Heart and Lung Institute and is currently studying for a Masters in Medical Ethics and Law. Prior to his appointment to the Royal Brompton in 2002, David Hunter was a Consultant Anaesthetist at Guy's and St Thomas', London for 7 years, the last 3 years of which he was the Programme Director of the South Eastern School of Anaesthesia. Since arriving at the Royal Brompton he has developed his interest in clinical governance and patient safety. Since 2005 he has run regular multidisciplinary courses in Sedation for Non-anaesthetists and Patient Safety open to all in the region. He acted as an anaesthetic advisor to NCEPOD from 2005-8 for the report "The Heart of the Matter" looking at deaths following coronary artery bypass grafting. He is currently Director of Theatres, and Clinical Governance Lead for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the Royal Brompton, working to improve both efficiency and patient safety by highlighting the importance of human factors in safe practice. He is an honorary senior lecturer at the National Heart and Lung Institute. Siân Jaggar has an interest in education, particularly in changing practice amongst multidisciplinary groups, and the barriers to this in the face of adequate evidence for change. She has developed programmes involving junior doctors, paramedical staff, managers and patient safety staff addressing these issues, and lectures both Nationally & Internationally. Her publications include papers on outcome prediction following cardio-respiratory interventions. She is an honorary senior lecturer at the National Heart and Lung Institute.