On 15 July 2026, we held a SafetyNet webinar on Quality versus safety in healthcare, with Dr Jonathan Back, Safety Investigation Analyst at Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB).

Watch the recording:

A 2025 review of the patient safety landscape in England described that the National Health Service’s focus on safety has been at the detriment of other aspects of quality of care, such as effectiveness. Concerns have been raised that the review will lead to de-prioritisation of patient safety due to a fundamental misunderstanding of safety science. HSSIB present a viewpoint that safety should be considered as the foundation for quality, rather than as a dimension of quality. It recommends 1) a fundamental rethink about how the NHS views and prioritises patient safety, and 2) the need for healthcare to employ evidence-based safety and risk management principles.

Meet the speaker

Dr Jonathan Back

Safety Investigation Analyst at Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB)

Jonathan joined HSSIB as an analyst after previously holding academic positions at University College London and King’s College London. He has a PhD from Loughborough University, where he is a Visiting Research Fellow in Safety Science. His work at HSSIB focuses on improving the management of safety and understanding inequalities. He has led on the thematic analysis of recurring patient safety risks and medical device investigations. His long-term aim is to embed safety management principles across the health and care system.

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