Public consultation: strategy and investigation criteria

What we're consulting on

As HSSIB came into operation on 1 October 2023 one of the key priorities for us was to develop a new strategy, outlining our long-term goals and themes that underpin our objectives.

Strategy

This consultation asks for views from stakeholders, patients, and the public on HSSIB’s new strategy. HSSIB is consulting on the strategy’s mission, vision statement and themes.

To inform HSSIB’s thinking about how the strategy should develop, a series of pre-consultation engagement activities were undertaken. This included a structured survey, as well as independently facilitated focus groups. This was conducted during February 2024. HSSIB thanks all those that took part. The feedback received was used to inform the development of the strategy.

Investigation criteria

In addition, we would like to ask for your views on HSSIB's investigation criteria. The criteria is designed to allow assessment across the available evidence, extent of risk and potential for improving care provision. It sets out the criteria and principles for HSSIB investigations.

In December 2022, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) commissioned the development of guidance and new interim criteria for launching investigations to enable the Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB), when established, to maximise its impact in helping the NHS and wider sector to learn from independent investigations.

The proposed HSSIB investigation criteria were developed as part of this guidance. They were developed by information gathered from a literature search, re-visiting source documents which described the national investigation body, developing case studies, reviewing internal documentation, virtual co-design focus groups with staff, carrying out a stakeholder analysis and analysis of a sample of national investigation reports, and meetings and interviews.

Information fed into HSSIB through stakeholder insights, horizon scanning, prevention of future death reports, direct patient safety concerns from patients, families, carers and healthcare staff are assessed using the proposed selection criteria. The investigation criteria are used to inform decision-making about those patient safety risks which will be selected for national investigations. The criteria include: systemic risk, potential impact, health disparities, added vale/unexplored territory, potential for improvement, feasibility. The criteria have been piloted from April 2023 to present and new governance arrangements have been implemented.

Supporting information

We recommend that you read this additional supporting information, including the strategy, safety investigation jargon buster and the investigation criteria.

While this consultation guide has been produced to summarise the consultation, the following information provides additional detail and important context.

If you require any of this information in an alternative format, please contact comms@hssib.org.uk. Other formats include accessible PDF, easy read, large print, braille, or any other language or need.

How to respond

We invite stakeholders, patients and the public and any other interested parties to review this consultation guide, the strategy and investigation criteria and provide your feedback.

Your feedback will help shape and refine our strategy and investigation criteria.

Responses can only be submitted using our online survey. The deadline for receipt of responses is Thursday 16 May 2024.

We will publish the final version of the strategy as soon after that as possible.