Independent Oversight and Assurance Group on Tayside's Mental Health Services: SAER review remit

What

To review SAERs completed by NHS Tayside under their new policy. There are five in total and it will be at the discretion of the Subject Matter Experts whether it is appropriate and necessary to review all five or whether a sample is sufficient.

Why

The Oversight Group requires the help of external Subject Matter Experts to assess the quality of completed SAERs by NHS Tayside, in terms of gleaning the most meaningful conclusions from the information gathered as part of the SAER process, and ensuring that both those conclusions, and then actions, follow logically from the findings This includes assessing the effective application of the NHS Tayside policy for responding to significant adverse events; the effective engagement of families and carers; as well as the sufficient development and implementation of a learning culture.

How

The process will involve reviewing only the final reports from the completed SAERs, which the Oversight Group will request from colleagues in NHS Tayside. Patient information will be redacted to ensure there are no confidentiality concerns. The process will also involve consideration of the Adverse Event Policy written and used in NHS Tayside.

Who

The review will be conducted by:

• Dr Adam Daly, Associate Medical Director (MH&LD, NHS Lanarkshire), Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry
• Mr Peter Lerpiniere, Associate Director of Nursing, NHS Borders

Timescales

This work requires completion by the end of September 2022 to allow the findings to be reflected in the Oversight Group’s final report at the end of October.