Learning from Deaths Policy
Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust believes that concentrating attention on the factors that cause deaths will impact positively on all persons who use services, reducing complications, length of stay and readmission rates through improving pathways of care, reducing variability of care delivery, and early recognition and escalation of concerns.
- Publication date:
- 31 January 2021
- Date range:
- January 2021- September 2022
3. Purpose
3.1
The Trust is required to demonstrate how it responds to, and learns from, deaths of people who either die while in our care or whose subsequent death may be attributable to our care.
3.2
This should be by identifying:
- 3.2.1 Areas of good care that can be further developed, and
- 3.2.2 Areas where care can be improved.
3.3
This policy outlines the minimum number and the categories of deaths that should be reviewed, and who participates in the review.
3.4
Additionally, this policy takes account of how to involve service users, their families and/or carers.
3.5
This policy will also guide staff on the appropriate process to be used for a mortality review.
3.6
It will ensure a consistent approach in the quality of patient mortality reviews, which will be clearly documented and archived on Datix;
3.7
There are clear reporting mechanisms for learning from poor and good practice, with escalation of any areas of concern, ensuring appropriate action is taken.