Key points

• The draft framework provides useful, thorough and practical support to help providers support patients to be partners in their own safety as well as the safety of an organisation. The framework offers a positive focus on enabling and sharing learning, in line with the overarching ambition of the Long Term Plan to better support providers and foster a culture of continuous learning. Alongside this, the framework also acknowledges the importance of locally owned solutions which reflect the needs of patients, rather than a ‘one-sizes-fits-all' approach.

• It is helpful that the framework cross-references connected policies related to the NHS Patient Safety Strategy. Mapping how this framework sits alongside other work happening at a national level in patient engagement and feedback would add further benefit.

• Our main concern focuses on how much time and resource will be needed to implement the framework. We believe that national bodies and local organisations would benefit from understanding why variation in approach exists, what barriers there are, and what role it may be helpful for the national patient safety team and other national bodies to play in identifying and helping to surmount these.

• There are a number of providers who engage patients in patient safety well; the development and launch of this framework provides an opportunity to share deeper insights on the approaches that work, the level of resources and time invested and the lessons learned to further help those who are committed to improving their own approach locally.