For more information, read the full policy by downloading the accessible Word document at the end of this page.
Who the policy applies to
- NHS Essex staff, including temporary and agency staff
- Organisations that provide NHS services in Essex, such as hospitals and GP practices
- Partner organisations working with NHS Essex
- Patients, families, carers and members of the public
Why this policy is important
This policy helps the NHS learn when things go wrong. It supports open and honest care and helps prevent the same problems from happening again.
It makes sure that:
- serious concerns are identified and investigated properly
- people affected are told what has happened and supported
- services learn from mistakes and improve safety
- care is fair, consistent and transparent across Essex
What is a serious incident
A serious incident is an event in healthcare that causes, or could cause, significant harm.
This can include:
- avoidable death or serious injury
- abuse or safeguarding concerns
- major failures in care or services
- events that reduce public confidence in NHS services
Each situation is looked at on its own. There is no fixed list of incidents.
How incidents are managed
When something goes wrong, services must:
- report the incident quickly
- take immediate steps to keep people safe
- investigate what happened
- identify the root causes
- create an action plan to reduce the risk of it happening again
Investigations should be completed within set timescales so learning can be shared and acted on quickly.
Being open and honest
NHS services must be open with people when something goes wrong. This is called the duty of candour.
This means:
- telling people what happened as soon as possible
- giving clear and honest information
- offering an apology
- providing support to those affected
Learning and improving care
A key aim of this policy is to help services learn and improve.
This includes:
- sharing learning across services
- checking that actions have been completed
- monitoring improvements over time
- using findings to make care safer in the future
Roles and responsibilities
Everyone has a role in keeping people safe.
- Staff must report concerns and follow the policy
- Healthcare providers must investigate incidents and improve services
- NHS Essex oversees investigations and checks that learning leads to real change
- All staff must treat people fairly and learn from incidents
Policy review
This policy was approved on 1 April 2026 and is due for review in April 2028.
For full details, download the accessible Word version of the policy below.