Human factors and the multi-tasking myth

Professor Don Berwick, an international expert in patient safety, made it clear in his report, ‘A promise to learn – a commitment to act’, that the NHS needs to promote an open, supportive culture where it is understood that humans make mistakes. He commented that: “NHS staff are not to blame – in the vast majority of cases it is the systems, procedures, conditions, environment and constraints they face that lead to patient safety problems.”

This is the fundamental principle of ‘human factors engineering’ – a movement which has gained momentum in the healthcare environment, in recent years, as part of a bid to reduce incidents of avoidable harm.

The concept is now embedded into aviation culture and the lessons learned from this safety critical sector were recently explored at a conference hosted by Govtoday. Trevor Dale, managing director, Atrainability, delivered a presentation on ‘Human factors training – embedding compassionate care’. With 34 years’ experience as a British Airways pilot and training captain, Trevor Dale has been providing human factors training in healthcare for over 12 years, working with theatre teams across the country to reduce the risk of avoidable harm.