Responding to a new report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman about patient safety, Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, said:

"Losing a loved one is a very difficult time for anyone. It's essential that the NHS works with and supports families openly and honestly to understand what happened and how to do better.

"The Ombudsman's report offers important insights into where the NHS has fallen short and the progress it still needs to make in how it cares for patients and their families. We agree strongly with the Ombudsman that embedding and supporting patient safety should be a consistent priority for the government.

"Many of the issues in the report can be traced to a lack of investment in staff wellbeing. It is crucial to recognise we need not just more national oversight but more commitment to creating a culture where NHS leaders, locally and nationally, work together to improve.

"There is a new national approach to patient safety investigations and learning responses (The Patient Safety Incident Response Framework ). Top class patient safety and continuous improvement requires clear-sighted national understanding of how to develop and maintain a true learning culture and better ways of working."