Karl Heidel

Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

We are dedicated to improving patient safety through independent investigations into NHS-funded care across England. Our investigations focus on systems and processes in healthcare. We identify the factors that could have led, or could potentially lead, to harm for patients. We do this without attributing blame or liability. We value independence, transparency, objectivity, expertise and learning for improvement in all that we do. There are two programmes through which we deliver our patient safety investigations: national and maternity. There are differences in how they are carried out and how reports are published, but the aims are the same. That is to share learning and to make safety recommendations that improve patient safety at a national level in the NHS. HSIB is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and currently hosted by NHS England. We are going through organisational transition to become the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB). At the same time our maternity investigations programme will be formed into a separate special health authority. We expect both organisations to be operational in April 2023.