Being Human: A Framework for Safety Culture within Health and Social Care sets out what a good safety culture looks like within HSC in Northern Ireland. It defines safety culture as one that is safe and compassionate; just and open; and, continually learning and improving.
It delineates a shift away from process-centred, ‘tick box’ approaches to Health and Social Care, and, instead focuses on embedding a relational, person-centred ethos at all levels of the HSC system; understanding that the relationships we have with ourselves and with each other, as patients, family members and colleagues, are HSC’s greatest asset to ensuring a safe, high-quality HSC system.
Three overarching domains
Underpinned by HSC Values, and aligned to best-practice standards, including DoH Quality Standards, 2006, the Framework defines three overarching domains that represent the collective mindset necessary to drive a strong safety culture.
- Domain 1 : Commitment to Patient Safety and Staff Wellbeing
- Domain 2 : Compassion, Civility and Respect
- Domain 3 : Curiosity and Constructive Challenge
Each of these domains encompass a number of expectations for HSC organisations, underpinned by a series of indicators, setting out the enabling system factors, behaviours and outcomes that provide evidence of a good safety culture.
Accompanied by case studies, good practice examples, along with examples of poor behaviour, they are designed to be enabling and empowering for HSC staff, patients and families.
Download the Framework
Download the Being Human framework document
A short overview of the Being Human Framework is available here Being Human Framework For Safety Culture Overview