Solution-based healthcare approaches to improve patient care and the relationship between performance and a four-day working week were among the key issues addressed at the fourth annual National Human Factors in Patient Safety Academy, hosted by RCSI.

The conference, organised by RCSI in collaboration with the Human Factors in Patient Safety Alumni Academy, brought together an inter-professional community of patient safety advocates to discuss culture in healthcare. It was chaired by Professor Eva Doherty, Director of Human Factors at RCSI. This year the conference was held both in person and online, with over 250 people registered from around the world.

Professor Eva Doherty said: “The fourth National Human Factors in Patient Safety Conference had over 200 healthcare professionals from across the world registered, highlighting the breadth of our ever-growing community. Building greater understanding of the role of human factors in driving improvements in patient safety is a priority for RCSI. That is why our human factor curriculum is mandatory for all surgical trainees. This conference, along with other initiatives like the RCSI Safe and Sound Podcast, provides a platform for important conversations about the link between the social and personal skills of healthcare workers and patient safety.”

“We now hope to build on this growing awareness of human factors and to develop a community of practice dedicated to making Irish healthcare safer for patients,” added Professor Doherty.

Dr Dale Whelehan, Behaviour Scientist and CEO of 4 Day Week Global, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time speaking at the fourth National Human Factors in Patient Conference. It was a fantastic opportunity to talk about the psychological benefits of a 4 day working week to healthcare professionals. Having a platform like the Human Factors in Patient Safety Conference provides a spotlight on key non-technical skills that have a huge impact on improving patient care.”

The Human Factors in Patient Safety Academy was established in 2021 and consists of Alumni and current scholars of the RCSI Postgraduate Diploma/MSc in Human Factors in Patient Safety. The academy supports graduates to enable the development of safer patient care through human-factor knowledge and skills.

Led by Professor Oscar Traynor and Dr Eva Doherty, RCSI has established a mandatory human factors curriculum to improve the communication and interpersonal skills of surgical trainees and developed a robust process for competence assessment and performance appraisal.

RCSI is now internationally recognised as a leading centre for human factors and patient safety in healthcare.