Trust Membership of the NHSLA and Use of Patient Information by
the NHSLA
Background & Introduction
The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) is a Special Health
Authority, which was established in 1995. The NHSLA administers the Clinical
Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST) and the Liabilities to Third Parties Scheme
(LTPS) and Property Expenses Scheme (PES), together known as the Risk Pooling
Schemes for Trusts (RPST). Information about the NHSLA can be found at
www.nhsla.com.
Membership of the schemes is voluntary. Funding is on a
pay-as-you-go non-profit basis, and organisations receive a discount on their
scheme contributions where they can demonstrate compliance with the relevant
NHSLA risk management standards.
There are NHSLA risk management standards for NHS organisations
providing acute, ambulance, community or mental health & learning disability
services and independent sector providers of NHS care. The NHSLA issues separate
clinical (CNST) standards against which maternity services are also assessed
where these are provided by the organisation.
Assessment against the relevant set(s) of standards is a
mandatory requirement of scheme membership for most organisations that provide
clinical care. The standards and assessment process are designed to:
-
provide a structured framework within which to
focus effective risk management activities in order to deliver
quality improvements in organisational governance, patient care
and the safety of patients, staff, contractors, volunteers and
visitors;
-
increase awareness and encourage implementation
of the national agenda for the NHS;
-
encourage and support organisations in taking a
proactive approach to improvement;
-
reflect risk exposure and empower organisations
to determine how to manage their own risks;
-
contribute to embedding risk management into the
organisation's culture;
-
minimise the number and cost of claims by
reducing the number and severity of adverse incidents and the
likelihood of recurrence;
-
assist in the management of adverse incidents
and claims;
-
provide assurance to the organisation, other
inspecting bodies and stakeholders, including patients.
The progression of organisations through the standards is
logical and follows the development, implementation, monitoring and review of
policies and procedures:
Level 1 – Policy
The process for managing risks has been described and documented.
Level 2 – Practice
The process for managing risks, as described in the approved documentation at
Level 1 is in use.
Level 3 – Performance
The process for managing risk, as described in the approved documentation at
Level 1, is working across the entire organisation. Where deficiencies have been
identified through monitoring, action plans must have been drawn up and changes
made to reduce the risks.
Levels of Compliance Held by Northern Lincolnshire & Goole Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust in respect of the NHSLA Risk Management Standards for Acute
Trusts and the CNST Maternity Standards
The Trust currently holds:
-
Level 2 compliance against the NHSLA Risk Management Standards for Acute
Trusts. The Trust’s next assessment visit is due in June 2011.
-
Level 1 compliance against the CNST Maternity Standards. The Trust’s next
assessment visit in respect of these standards is due in July 2012.
Use of Patient Information by the NHS Litigation Authority
(NHSLA Confidentiality Statement)
“The NHSLA has a statutory duty to manage and raise the standards of risk
management throughout the NHS. In order to achieve this, all NHS Trusts are
assessed every few years against a set of risk management standards which are
based on those factors which give rise to the greatest number and cost of
claims. More information about the NHSLA risk management programme is available
on its website at
www.nhsla.com/riskmanagement.
As part of the process, the assessors will look at a small number of sets of
patient notes and a selection of incident forms. None of these documents will be
removed from the premises. The aim is to ensure that these documents are created
and managed in accordance with appropriate policies and procedures: for example
whether they are written clearly, signed and dated, stored securely, etc. The
assessors are not concerned with individual patient details. They are all
professional people who have previously worked in NHS organisations and are now
employed on behalf of the NHSLA under strict principles of confidentiality.
If you wish to object to your records being made available during an NHSLA
assessment, please just notify the Trust”.
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