top of page

Championing Patient Safety – Experiencing the Veterinary Patient Safety Summit 2024

Writer's picture: Hannah GodfreyHannah Godfrey

This blog post was written by Dr Hannah Godfrey BVetMed MRCVS, VetLed Community Lead, with support from the VetLed team.

 




Last Friday, the 11th of October, we were again joined by curious and passionate individuals from the veterinary community, at the Veterinary Patient Safety Summit 2024. For our third year running this event, we were aiming high. After all, to make a real positive impact we need to spread the word out into frontline practices, as Cat Auden said in the welcome session:

 

‘Once we can get 45% of the veterinary population saying “Yes, this matters”, we know we can make a real difference.’

Cat Auden, VetLed



Cat Auden VetLed Managing Director speaking to delegates of the Veterinary Patient Safety Summit 2024
VetLed Managing Director, Cat Auden, welcoming delegates at VPSS 2024

 

Therefore, we wanted to meet new patient safety champions and benefit from the insights and experiences of those leading the field. So, when the setting up and morning organisation were done and people started to arrive, we were excited to greet a real mixture of vets and vet nurses from different backgrounds and holding various positions.  It was great to reconnect with two vet nurses who had attended VetLed training in April, and we were delighted to meet a range of practice owners from independent practices across the UK and senior corporate leads in Quality Improvement and Clinical Governence. From the moment people walked through the door, there was a real buzz as they greeted old friends and began conversations with new connections. This inclusive atmosphere lent itself to a safe space for all to share, no matter their practice background.

 

What did the day look like?

 

The event was held at the Consort E3 Lab, set within Harper and Keele Vet School. This versatile, ultra-modern learning space allowed us real freedom to deliver the sessions however we wanted. It was nice to have a balance of informal, sit-down lectures, with interactive polls and Q and A's, combined with brainstorming tasks completed in rotating small groups. Even coffee breaks and lunch were a time to continue conversations, and this talking time was really valued by the delegates and VetLed team. Hamish Morrin, one of our associate trainers, was brimming with enthusiasm when he shared how much he’d enjoyed chatting to delegates about regenerative and restorative practice.

 

The Great Veterinary Patient Safety Think Tank

 


A male delegate wearing a striped jumper and jeans writing on a 'magic' white board with red pen
One of the delegates acting as scribe for his group during the Great Veterinary Patient Safety Think Tank


With so many diverse and valued people in the room with the knowledge to share, we knew it was an opportunity to collaborate and contribute to overcoming the barriers to Patient Safety. So, we set up the Great VPS Think Tank, where delegates moved in small groups to different magic wall (Yes, we could write on the wall!) stations, answering the following questions. If you’re running a veterinary practice or organisation, take note:

 

  • One thing I would like to see across the profession that would make the biggest difference for patient outcomes is…


In this discussion, it was great to see where different groups placed their emphasis. For instance, one group focused on the importance of a positive workplace culture, where leaders set examples, hierarchy is shallowed (where appropriate), and openness around mistakes, concerns, and near misses is encouraged or rewarded. The role of standard processes, like checklists, was also highlighted. However, another group felt the key to answering the question lay elsewhere – in commitment to and financial investment in Patient Safety across the profession. A third group added that educating the next generation of vets and nurses was another opportunity for positive change.

 

  • My biggest current challenge with achieving what I want for my patients is…


As you might expect, one of the challenges that came up during this discussion was time or lack thereof. This lack of time prevents appropriate reflection on cases and their outcomes, even though time invested in reflection is recouped later through lack of error and better productivity. Lack of time is also an obstacle to meeting our physiological needs by taking adequate breaks. But this wasn't the only identified challenge. Conflicting goals and mismatched risk tolerance between clients and veterinary staff, the public perception of our profession (fuelled by the media), client behaviour, and differences in communication style between clients and within the team were just a few of the answers our small groups suggested.

 

  • When I think about error, I think about…


The ideas around this question had two main streams. First, the emotional reaction, including 'that gut feeling', self-blame, trauma, and the fear of judgement. However, this was followed by a proactive and positive approach, highlighting the importance of curiosity, a Just Culture, debriefing, and a non-judgemental approach. During these conversations, delegates spoke about the importance of checking in with the person or people affected, using appropriate language and communication styles that avoid blame and shame, and considering the acronym ‘FAIL’ – ‘first attempt in learning.’ Perhaps one of the nicest responses we saw, though, was ‘VDS’ written on the wall, surrounded by a heart – an important reminder to get support and guidance when you need it.

 

Who were the speakers at VPSS 2024?

 

Pam Mosedale – RCVS Knowledge


Pam gave a fantastic overview of how we can support Patient Safety in practice through audits and research. She acknowledged the frustration leaders feel when they put effort into creating guidelines, only for them to be ignored. As a response to this, she highlighted the importance of involving the whole team in Quality Improvement efforts when she said:

 

‘It’s like the man at NASA sweeping the floor – when asked “What do you do?” he replies, “I send men to the moon”’

Pam Mosedale, RCVS Knowledge



Pam Mosedale stood in front of a room full of delegates. A man in the bottom right of the photograph is speaking and most delegates and Pam are looking at him.
Pam Mosedale, from RCVS Knowledge invited thoughts from delegates during her session on the importance of audits and research

 

Alongside promoting a whole team approach to audits and research, Pam also spread awareness of supporting resources, including the RCVS Knowledge Library, their journal watch system, inFOCUS, international audits, and benchmarking tools.

 

Catherine Oxtoby – Veterinary Defence Society


We were pleased to be joined by Catherine Oxtoby, from the VDS, who tagged into Pam's session 'Patient Safety – Where's the evidence?' Catherine opened her section by pointing out how far the profession has already come in terms of response to mistakes and adverse events, both in terms of non-clinical topics being firmly on the agenda at vet conferences, but also in how we talk about error:

 

‘When I messed up in practice, we didn’t talk about it.’

Catherine Oxtoby, VDS



Catherine Oxtoby from the VDS stood next to a laptop with a clicker in her hand while presenting to delegates at VPSS 2024
Catherine Oxtoby, from the VDS, shared her enthusiasm for veterinary research with delegates

 

Since Catherine has moved from clinical practice, there’s been a shift in how we respond to errors. Higher levels of psychological safety mean that mistakes are more likely to be discussed, the people involved asked whether they're okay, and a curious approach adopted to find out what can be learned going forward. Of course, there's still plenty of room for improvement, and different teams will be doing this well, or less well. Finally, Catherine closed by highlighting the benefit of events like VPSS 2024 in bringing practicing vets and vet nurses with a research interest together with current researchers, allowing an opportunity for collaboration and support. She encouraged delegates to get involved in research, inviting them to find what makes them curious or annoyed in practice and use that as a focus for research or audits.

 

Sara Jackson – VetLed


During her talk, ‘Is Human Error Ever Truly a Cause of an Unexpected Outcome?’, Sara encouraged interactivity via Slido polls. She bravely shared her own experiences in practice, and how they’ve shaped her approach to mistakes within her team, which can be summarised with this quote:

 

‘Okay, I’ve made an error. What am I going to learn?’ Sara Jackson, VetLed Associate Trainer



VetLed Associate Trainer, Sara Jackson, addressing delegates during her session at VPSS 2024
VetLed Associate Trainer, Sara Jackson, addressing delegates during her session at VPSS 2024

 

She highlighted the importance of language, questioning whether the term ‘error’ might perpetuate a blame culture and pointing out that the term ‘unexpected outcome’ is widely understood as a negative when actually, outcomes can also be unexpectedly good! The language theme continued when she acknowledged the barrier posed by the term ‘leader’. Sara pointed out that some people are excellent leaders in practice, but don’t view themselves as leaders, meaning it can be hard to reach them. Using other terms and titles, like ‘Coordinator’ rather than ‘Lead’ may break down this barrier and be helpful for those who don’t self-identify as leaders.

 

Emma Cathcart – VetSafe


Constructive reporting was the theme of Emma's session. She used one of her own experiences as an intern to demonstrate not only the importance of learning from mistakes as a team but also of sharing this knowledge with others. This prevents new staff from making the same mistake but also means we can learn and progress as a profession, which is really powerful. During her talk, Emma showcased the power of incident reporting by saying:

 

‘Incident reporting is like a black box recorder. It helps us figure out what was going on in the moment.’ 

Emma Cathcart



Emma Cathcart, from VetSafe, speaking at VPSS 2024
Emma Cathcart, from VetSafe, speaking at VPSS 2024

 

Incident reporting can be a local, single practice system, like an 'oops book', but it's most useful when this information is reported nationwide, providing data for research and improvements that can be shared throughout the profession and to other safety-critical professions. VetSafe, the nationwide incident reporting system, is relaunching in November and you can find out more at https://vetsafe.org.

 

Dan Tipney – VetLed


To begin his session on restorative and regenerative veterinary practice, Dan opened by describing a forest – a natural restorative system. The brambles serve to protect fragile saplings, until they grow stronger and overtake the brambles. Fallen trees let more light in and are broken down, feeding into the soil and providing further opportunities for new growth. This process of continually renewing itself can be applied to veterinary practice too, and is particularly applicable to working things through after an unexpected outcome and going forward afterwards. However, Dan pointed out that it takes a commitment to restorative actions, including addressing imbalances caused by not meeting the needs of the team, but there needs to be a balance between learning and accountability.



VetLed Training Director, Dan Tipney, gesturing with his hands as he sits at a high table speaking to the delegates at VPSS 2024
VetLed Training Director, Dan Tipney, contributing to conversations at VPSS 2024

 

‘Who is to blame is not a particularly helpful place to start when something goes wrong. Instead, ask “How do we stop that from happening again?” ’

Dan Tipney, VetLed

 

Further questions suggested by Dan that should be posed when faced with mistakes or adverse events include:

 

  • Who was hurt?

  • What do they need?

  • Whose obligation is it to meet that need?

 

By asking these questions, it puts the focus on rebuilding and repairing, creating motivation for positive action, and providing support. Dan provided realistic actions that could be implemented in practice, like Schwartz rounds, celebrating and understanding success, surveys, focus groups, and changes in language toward 'non-routine event' or 'event' rather than 'error' or 'adverse event.' In turn, these actions improve team wellbeing and satisfaction, as well as providing opportunities to look closer at the way we work and make improvements. Finally, Dan closed his session by highlighting the potential of restorative veterinary practice and its benefit to people, patients, practices, and the whole profession.

 

The power of conversation

 

Aside from the knowledge gained during the organised sessions, the value of tips and snippets shared during informal conversations throughout the day cannot be underestimated. So many delegates have praised the format of VPSS 2024 and how it facilitated learning from everyone in a safe and inclusive space.

 

What was the feedback?

 

The feedback that we have received has been overwhelmingly positive. Not only are people celebrating the power of meeting in person at VPSS 2024 and the work that we are doing at VetLed, but they are also sharing the changes that they’ve already made as a result of attending. Here is just a small sample of the feedback we’ve had already:

 

'My 1st and 2nd year tutorial groups started with Gratitudes this morning (and a chat about Human Factors and Civility Saves Lives). Thanks for the inspiration, Fiona Leathers.' 

Jenny Powell, HKVS

 

'I've come away feeling so much more positive about the veterinary industry. I found myself saying 'That makes me so happy!' many, many times when listening to what people are doing in their work.'

Steph Ivers, Sunflower Veterinary Services

 

‘Another amazing event by VetLed!’

Louise Grieve, Veterinary Specialists Scotland

 

‘As with previous VetLed stuff, it has given me more/renewed enthusiasm to take the Human Factors/QI/Patient Safety stuff and keep it going in the practice’

Katie McCreary, Hook Norton Veterinary Group

 

What next?

 

Whether you attended VPSS this year or not, we know you want to create better experiences for the vets, nurses, and non-clinical staff you work with - not to mention your patients!

 

If that's you, visit https://vetled.co.uk/book-online to book a discovery call with one of our team, and let us help you find training that suits you.

 

Don't forget that we offer:

 

  • Training workshops

  • Observation days

  • A Leadership Programme

  • The Veterinary Human Factors Conference 2025

 

We hope to see you all at the Veterinary Patient Safety Summit next year!

 

Recent Posts

See All

Comentários


bottom of page