Due to the pandemic and subsequent limitations on services provided, it was decided to delay the 2020 patient survey.

We encourage and welcome all patient feedback as it provides us with opportunities to review and reflect on current practices, make improvements to services where necessary and allows us to deliver the best standards of care possible.

GOVERNANCE

Dr Jim Chandler took over the Clinical Governance Lead role in January 2019, thus becoming a member of the Quality Governance Committee as stipulated in the Secondary Healthcare Contract. This Group is responsible for ensuring all issues of clinical governance including serious incidents, complaints, compliance of the Law and undertake a continuous review as to whether and if so, how, clinical governance can be improved.

The Quality Governance Committee receive quarterly reports which highlight the number of complaints, CALS* cases and compliments received together with any learning or themes that need further discussion. The Quality Governance Committee reports to the Corporate Management Team which is made up of senior individuals within HSC and is the Quality Governance Committee’s link to the Committee.

As per 2019, all complaints for 2020 were recorded and logged on HSC’s database system. In 2018 the Customer Care Team were tasked in reducing the number of formal complaints by resolving patient’s concerns faster and in 2020, 65 cases were recorded as CALS cases against 51 formal complaints.

*Customer Advisory Liaison Service (CALS) Cases: complaints which can be addressed quickly and promptly without the need of going through the formal complaints process.

INCIDENTS

A clinical incident is any unintended or unexpected event which caused or had the potential to cause harm to a patient. Reporting of clinical incidents is actively encouraged in order to learn from events, which fosters a safer environment for patients. It is important to note that these reports are not necessarily indicators of poor clinical practice.

A total of 338 clinical incidents were reported in 2020 (compared to 514 in 2019) which our Consultants either witnessed or were involved in.

DATA PROTECTION

During the pandemic, data protection remained high on the agenda especially as staff members were working from home more frequently than usual. Extra security measures were put in place from an IT perspective and everyone was reminded of the MSG’s policies and procedures with how we handle personal data. A home working procedure was created to provide extra guidance to employees on how to work from home.

The MSG’s Caldicott Guardian and Data Protection Officer normally attend the Caldicott Guardian meeting which is also attended by HSC, Primary Care and the Office of the Data Protection Authority. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 these meetings were suspended during 2020. However, Incidents continue to be monitored and processes changed where necessary.

Data Protection will continue to be monitored during 2021 and remains one of the top priorities for 2021.