To allow us to track non-patient incidents and near misses we’ve created a new form which takes two minutes to complete. The form is available from today, Tuesday 1st September.

You can access the form from the left hand side of the intranet homepage. Look for InPhase - report a Non-Patient Hazard or Near Miss. Please do not use this form for Patient Incidents, Hazards or Near Misses.

To keep our forms consistent, we have also renamed the  'Reporting an Incident InPhase' button to InPhase - report an Incident or Patient Near Miss

The image shows the location of the links.

Why have we introduced this?

It’s been difficult to report near misses or hazards that don’t involve a patient via InPhase, which means there is a risk of under reporting of near misses and hazards. Learning from near miss/hazard events where nobody was harmed is one of the most effective ways of preventing future incidents. By encouraging everyone to report hazards and near misses, we can identify trends, address risks earlier and improve the safety of our colleagues, patients, visitors and our working environment.

What is a hazard?

A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm, even if no incident has occurred. In simple terms: "Something that could cause harm if it isn't put right."

Examples include:

• Damaged flooring or loose carpets.
• Exposed electrical cables.
• Blocked fire exits.
• Poorly stored equipment that could fall.
• Leaking roofs or ceilings.
• Chemicals stored incorrectly.

What is a near miss?

A near miss is an unplanned event that could have caused injury, damage or loss but did not, either through chance or because someone intervened. In simple terms: "Something nearly went wrong."

Examples include:

• A box falls from a shelf but misses someone.
• Equipment fails but no one is injured.
• A trolley rolls away but is stopped before hitting someone.
• A vehicle narrowly avoids a pedestrian.

Actions for colleagues (not for patient related incidents)

If you spot a hazard or experience a near miss that does not involve a patient, please report it using the new button on the Trust Intranet. Reporting only takes a few minutes, and every report helps us prevent future incidents.

Don't forget: Spot it, Report it, Prevent it

Guidance

The image shows guidance for colleagues and where the links can be accessed.

Our Health and Safety intranet page has also been updated with guidance explaining:

• What should be reported.
• The difference between a hazard and a near miss.
• Examples of reportable events.