Abstract

From industries outside healthcare we have considerable knowledge about system-based safety technologies and design principles. So why are we making such slow progress in patient safety? If a whole-system approach is so important, can we be sure that we are seeing the whole system? Are there underlying dynamics that powerfully influence behaviours? Have we taken the root-cause analysis deep enough? If we could really see the whole socio-technical system, how mighty we apply design at a deeper level?

Bio Dr Robin Youngson is an internationally renowned clinical leader and keynote speaker who trained in the UK but lives in New Zealand. He began life as an engineer, progressed to medicine and then a career in anaesthetics. He has held many leadership roles alongside his joyful clinical practice. For six years he was Clinical Leader in the development of the new Waitakere Hospital in Auckland. He was Acting Chair of the New Zealand EpiQual committee in 2006 and played a significant role in shaping the NZ national strategy for quality and safety in healthcare. He was also the NZ representative on the WHO International Steering Committee for Patient Safety Solutions. Robin is also the founder of the New Zealand Centre for Compassion in Healthcare (www.compassioninhealthcare.org)