Learning from deaths: Staff and relatives (Version 0.1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Learning from deaths in healthcare: Frontline staff, Relatives of deceased patients and Senior Hospital Management understanding of the National ‘Learning from Deaths’ Programme
IRAS ID
254626
Contact name
Zoe Brummell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2020/10/75, UCL Data Protection registration number
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 3 days
Research summary
This study aim is to evaluate the implementation of the Learning from Deaths policy at acute NHS Secondary Care Trusts (aim to include 3 trusts, 2 currently confirmed) and to understand how individual learning and organisational learning may impact outcomes from the National Learning from Deaths programme. This will be achieved through documentary analysis (of papers relevant to the Learning from Deaths programme), trust-wide staff questionnaire and interviews with frontline intensive care staff, senior hospital managers and families of patients who have died unexpectedly in these hospitals. We will compare the experience of frontline intensive care staff, senior hospital managers and families of patients who have died unexpectedly in these hospitals with the programme theory behind the Learning from Deaths policy as described by the National Quality Board.
The total number of staff participant will be between 33 - 45. The total number of bereaved relatives as participants will be between 9 and 15. Bereaved relatives will be primarily be recruited through the hospital patient and public involvement group.
Following valid informed consent, interviews will occur over the telephone or via videocall (preferably Microsoft Teams, but where not available to relatives Zoom will be used). Each interview will last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Interviews will be transcribed and transcripts imported into data analyst software (NVIVO) and analysed to identify themes.The results of this study could be used to inform the public, families, clinicians, hospital boards, health policy makers, the NHS as a whole and the wider healthcare system about how we can better learn and take action from potentially preventable patient deaths. It could also provide useful insights into how learning and organisational learning can be better utilised to ensure health policy is successfully implemented and to review the gaps in current research and knowledge and therefore help determine future research.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/YH/0260
Date of REC Opinion
22 Nov 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion