Press release: NHS Confederation responds to National Audit Office report "a safer place to work"
30 Apr 2003
In response to the publication of the National Audit Office's report "A Safer Place to Work", Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation stated:
"We recognize the importance of managing risk to NHS staff and accept that more can be done to reduce the number of accidents to staff. The cost of accidents to staff is not acceptable to the NHS in human, organizational or financial terms.
Although the figures of reported accidents in NHS trusts have increased, the NAO report acknowledges that there have been real improvements in the management of health and safety risks to staff. This increase in figures will be in part due to better awareness and greater reporting of accidents, but there is still work to be done."
Dr Morgan continued: "The NHS Confederation recognises the need to create an open and fair culture in the NHS and we welcome the NAO's recommendations, particularly the need to develop a national health and safety strategy to co-ordinate initiatives. We are currently working with partner organizations to help develop improved training and procedures. We have included a session at our Annual Conference in Glasgow on 25-27 June entitled "Managing Risk - the cost of not being prepared" which will explore the risks to trusts of not being prepared and what boards can do to reduce risks to staff. We look forward to discussing these issues further."
Ends
Notes for editors
- The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
Contact details
- Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
Back to media centre
