Doctor Informed: The blame game

In previous episodes of Doctor Informed, we’ve talked about the importance of speaking out, but the culture in your organisation might not always make that easy, especially if you feel something has gone wrong and you might be blamed for it. Blame culture, no-blame culture, just culture – there are many terms which are used to describe the environment in which individuals and teams work, the feel within a team and an organisation.

In this episode we’ll explore what they mean, why blame can be detrimental to patient safety, and give some tips on how to investigate problems without throwing blame around. Our director of research, Graham Martin, co-hosts the episode alongside Clara Munro, a trainee surgeon and an associate editor for The BMJ.

Created in collaboration with the BMJ, the ‘Doctor Informed: beyond medical knowledge’ podcast series gives hospital doctors the inside story on the evidence about providing the best care and having positive relationships with patients and colleagues.

Guests

Joselle Wright is Deputy Director of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Sexual Health at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust. Susanna Stanford, who became involved in patient safety after experience of a spinal anaesthetic failing during a caesarian section in 2010, is an ambassador for the Clinical Human Factors Group.