Patient Safety Partners
Working with Patient Safety Partners
Patient Safety Partners (PSPs) are patients, carers, or family members who work alongside an organisation to share insights based on their lived experience. They act as knowledge brokers, helping to bridge the gap between the patient perspective and the internal view of services. They may have used services in the organisation or supported someone who has. This gives them first-hand experience which they can draw on to help us understand how our services feel from a service users perspective.
Some PSPs may also have experience of avoidable harm, perhaps through a complaint, an adverse event, or something that has gone wrong in their care journey. Their reflections can help an organisation learn, grow and identify practical safety improvements. They bring a perspective that is different from our own and provides one which is grounded in real experience.
A key strength is that they are not shaped by organisational bias, because they are not members of staff. This independence allows them to offer honest insights and act as a critical friend, helping us to see our systems and processes through fresh eyes.
NHS England highlights a range of activities that Patient Safety Partners may be involved in, such as:
- Attending meetings or committees and reviewing patient safety information
- Supporting organisational improvement projects
- Contributing to patient safety training
- Participating in oversight or governance groups
Their role is broad and can be tailored to the needs of the organisation. Ultimately, the aim, through NHS England’s lens, is to strengthen openness and transparency between staff and patients. It’s about truly connecting with people who use our services and embedding their experiences and perspectives into how we design, deliver and improve care.
To support organisations with this, NHS England provides guidance and resources through its Framework for Involving Patients in Patient Safety, which helps teams introduce and develop the PSP role effectively.
What’s the difference between PSPs and Patient Participation Groups (PPGs)?
PSPs focus on specific experiences and insights related to patient safety. Their engagement is aimed at helping the organisation identify improvements and prevent harm, drawing on their own lived experience as patients, carers, or family members.
PPGs, on the other hand, are often broader in scope. They provide a collective patient perspective on services, policies, or general organisational priorities. PPGs represent the wider patient population and provide feedback on a range of issues, not necessarily limited to safety.
The key difference is the level of focused engagement and detail. PSPs typically provide deeper, more targeted input based on their personal experience.
In essence, PSPs complement PPGs: one represents the collective voice of patients, and the other brings focused insights to improve safety and quality of care. Together, they help organisations embed patient perspectives at every level.
How do Patient Safety Partners support Nimbuscare?
At Nimbuscare, we currently have two Patient Safety Partners (PSPs). Their contributions have strengthened our work in several key areas, examples of this include:
- Recruitment - actively participating in interview panels, bringing a patient-focused perspective that enriches our decision-making.
- Policy and Process Reviews - insights here are especially valuable for documents that directly impact patients and families.
Our PSPs also play an important role in our governance structure. Both regularly attend our monthly Quality and Governance Committee meetings. Their presence ensures transparency and accountability, and it reinforces our commitment to involving patients in shaping the way we deliver care.
PSPs are active partners in shaping our organisation. Their perspectives challenge us and ultimately help us deliver care that is more responsive, inclusive, and patient-centred. We are really grateful for their ongoing support and would love to grow our PSP community, please contact us if you are interested in supporting.