Rapid Response ReportTHe NPSA has released a Rapid Response Report for Mental Health and Learning Disability providers providing new guidance on resuscitation. Mental health and learning disability patients can be vulnerable to cardiac or respiratory arrest through coexisting physical illness, self-harm, and the effects of medication, including rapid tranquilisation. These patients are also vulnerable to choking, through dysphagia associated with illnesses like dementia, food bolting, pica, or through intoxication, substance abuse or intentional self-harm. This Rapid Response Report sets out actions for Medical or Nurse Directors providing mental health or learning disability care which need to be implemented by May 2009. Rapid Response Report Seven Steps to Patient Safety in Mental Health  The Seven steps to patient safety in mental health describes a framework for mental health organisations, staff and teams on which to build work towards improving the safety of service users. The steps are part of a continuing process: step one is the foundation step; steps two to seven help you build your safety culture. Seven Steps for Mental Health Clean Your HandsHands are one of the main ways that infections can be spread, so the cleanyourhands campaign aims to improve the hand hygiene of healthcare workers to stop the spread of infection. The campaign is designed to educate and inform healthcare workers about why, when and how to clean their hands and support NHS trusts to take an organisational wide approach to improvement. It also provides information for patients about how they can encourage good hand hygiene by the people looking after them. 
Training video 'An introduction to hand hygiene'
Independent investigation of serious patient safety incidents in mental health services good practice guidanceThis document describes the three main stages of the independent investigation process. It examines the initial service management review, internal NHS mental health trust investigations and Strategic Health Authority independent investigations. It also looks at how NHS organisations can support the victims of serious incidents and how to support staff. NPSA Mental Health pages With safety in mind: mental health services and patient safetyThe NPSA has undertaken detailed analysis of patient safety incident data relating to mental health patients, and factors affecting the safety of mental health care. NPSA Mental Health pages
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