The Penny Dash Review, commissioned to examine how patient safety is overseen across the health and care system in England, sets out a series of recommendations that are both timely and necessary. For those working across the NHS, many of the findings will feel familiar. The review focuses not on identifying new problems, but on offering a more coherent way to address the ones we already know.
Key Points for NHS Providers
- Simplifying oversight
The review recommends greater clarity and coordination between national bodies involved in safety. This includes reducing duplication and ensuring that roles are clearly defined. For providers, this could lead to fewer conflicting messages and more consistent expectations.
- Clearer accountability
There is a strong emphasis on ensuring that responsibility for safety is clearly understood at every level. This includes national leadership, trust boards, and frontline teams. Clearer accountability should support quicker decision-making and more effective responses when concerns arise.
- Better use of data
The review highlights the need to make better use of existing safety data. Many organisations already collect a significant amount of information, but it is not always used in a way that supports learning or improvement. More joined-up and transparent use of data could help identify risks earlier and support more informed decision-making.
- Listening to patients and families
The review reinforces the importance of involving patients and families in safety discussions. This includes building on existing initiatives that give people a clearer route to raise concerns. Their perspectives can provide valuable insight and help shape safer services.
- Focusing on learning
A shift in culture is also recommended, moving away from blame and towards learning. Staff should feel able to speak up about safety concerns, knowing that the focus will be on understanding what went wrong and how to prevent it happening again.
What We Think
At Baxendale, we see this review not as an additional burden, but as an opportunity. It provides a chance for providers to reflect on current approaches, identify what is working, and make changes where needed. The recommendations offer a practical framework to support safer, more responsive care.
If you want to chat about what this review means for you, please contact us through our Quality Assessment and Improvement page.
