Patient Safety Commissioner role for Scotland: consultation

Chapter 2: The Patient Safety Commissioner role

Baroness Cumberlege was asked to investigate what had happened in relation to two medications and one medical device: HPTs, sodium valproate and pelvic mesh implants.  As a result, the recommendations in 'First Do No Harm' focus specifically on medicines and medical devices, with recommendation 2 stating that 'the Commissioner would champion the value of listening to patients and promoting users' perspectives in seeking improvements to patient safety around the use of medicines and medical devices'.

In line with this, our commitment for Scotland is that the Patient Safety Commissioner would focus first on patient safety in these areas and then possibly expand to cover other areas in the future.

This limited initial role may present challenges in separating safety issues to do with medicines and medical devices from wider safety issues.  This could confuse patients, who may want to highlight a safety issue which does not relate to a medicine or medical device.  

We recognise that this role will be limited at first. However, this would allow the Patient Safety Commissioner the time they need to build up enough knowledge and understanding of the key issues related to specific topics, and the Patient Reference Group felt this was an important part of the role.  With this in mind, and given the potential range of the role, it is very likely that the Patient Safety Commissioner would not be an individual working alone, but part of a larger body, and maybe have a support team.

Question 1: Do you agree that the Patient Safety Commissioner role should first focus on medicines and medical devices, as set out in the Cumberlege Review?

Yes

No

Don't know

Please give reasons for your response in the box below. Please be as specific as you can, and include any resources or references to evidence on this topic that we should consider.

Question 2:  If the role were to expand in the future, which specific aspects of patient safety do you feel the Patient Safety Commissioner should focus on?

Please give reasons for your response in the box below. Please be as specific as you can, and include any resources or references to evidence on this topic that we should consider.