Government hails high levels of engagement with Sign Up to Safety campaign

The government has welcomed the high number of NHS organisations that have engaged with Sign Up to Safety, the patient safety campaign it launched last year.

Since the introduction of the scheme, a total of 260 NHS organisations have set out ambitious plans to save lives by reducing avoidable harm, far exceeding the original first-year target of 180 sign-ups in the first year.

It puts the health service in a strong position to reach its aim of saving up to 6,000 lives over three years by avoiding instances of preventable harm such as medication errors, blood clots and bedsores.

Examples of actions taken include Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust's efforts to improve patient safety by reducing falls in care homes or improving awareness of suicide risk.

Meanwhile, the County Durham and Darlington Foundation NHS Trust has been working to teach junior doctors about Sign Up to Safety as part of training, clinical forums and induction sessions.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "By listening to staff and patients and supporting them when things go wrong, we can learn from mistakes, prevent harm and ultimately save lives."