The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

 

NHS bosses looking for ways to make hospitals safer for patients have been looking at Dounreay to see what lessons can be learned from the site's improving industrial safety record.  

In 2005, when the NDA was established, Dounreay had one of the weakest safety records of the 20 sites.  

Today, it has one of the best, following a 10-fold reduction in industrial accident rates.  

NHS Scotland wants to improve the safety of its hospitals and reduce the risk of harm to patients. The Scottish Government set a target of reducing patient deaths in hospitals by 30 per cent by the end of 2012.  

A team, formed under the auspices of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, is assessing how industry tackled similar challenges and spent two days at Dounreay to understand how the nuclear industry approaches workplace safety.  

"The NHS and Dounreay probably seem like strange bedfellows at first glance," said Kevin Henderson, safety reporting and feedback manager at DSRL.  

"But we have something fundamental in common – neither of us wants anyone who comes through our doors to be harmed.  

"The tasks each performs may be very different, but the safety culture of both is about people, their attitude and their behaviour towards safety.  

"We could never claim to be 'safe', but we are moving in the right direction. Our accident rates are down, our reporting is mature and we're working very hard to instill and nurture the leadership qualities needed to sustain continuous improvement across the whole site."  

The patient safety team, who included medical and nursing professionals, held discussions with trade union safety representatives, company safety officials and the i Office for Nuclear Regulation inspector during their visit.  

Also on the itinerary was a visit to the new breeder removal facility and the iconic sphere, one of the most hazardous environments in the country.