On 21 April 2026, the NIHR PSRC Network (SafetyNet) held its third NIHR SafetyNet PhD Networking event for PhD students and their supervisors. Hosted by the NIHR Midlands PSRC at the University of Birmingham, the event brought together researchers across the PSRCs for a day of collaboration, discussion, and shared learning.

The day centred on the theme of patient safety and the NHS 10 year plan, and there was a strong focus on the intersection of patient safety research and patient safety policy. The day started with a keynote session from Professor Richard Lilford, which explored the evolution of patient safety research and reflected on both the significant progress achieved and the ongoing challenges facing healthcare systems. The session set a thoughtful and engaging tone for the day and encouraged attendees to think about how research can move beyond evidence generation to drive improvements in patient safety.

Showcasing Research Across the PSRCs

The Lightning Talks were a key part of the day and gave PhD students the opportunity to share their research with the supportive PSRC community. The presentations showcased the breadth and diversity of research being undertaken across the PSRCs that spanned health, social care, and beyond! Not only were the topic areas diverse, but also the methods, and included qualitative research, implementation science, data-driven approaches, and everything in between. The poster presentation sessions were another opportunity for attendees to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and build new collaborations – and judging by the atmosphere in the room all of this was certainly happening!

Applying Safety Science Principles to Practice

The afternoon included a seminar delivered by Dr Stef Cormack, who spoke about the importance of systems thinking in patient safety. The session helped to bridge theory and practice by exploring how frameworks aligned with systems thinking can be applied in real world health settings – with both challenges and successes. This session was perfectly complemented by interactive group workshops, where attendees applied the safety science principles discussed throughout the day to real life challenges, such as the implementation of a new electronic health record. These activities encouraged participants to work and think together to develop practical solutions to complex patient safety issues facing many healthcare systems today. Following this, Professor Rebecca Lawton shared reflections on her remarkable career and journey in patient safety leadership. These reflections were thoughtful, honest, and motivating, and demonstrated the value of learning from both successes and challenges that all leaders will inevitably face.

Awards, Reflections, and Next Steps

As always, the PhD event was a fantastic event that showcased the excellent work that is going on across the PSRCs. It gave members of the PSRC community the opportunity to learn from each other and forge new lasting collaborations. At the close of the event, we finished with some final reflections and by celebrating the achievements of our speakers, presenting awards for the best oral and poster presentations – congratulations to all of the winners!

Award winners

Best Poster Presentation Award: Sara Sousi, NIHR North West London PSRC

Best Poster Presentation Award: Rajeev Shrestha, NIHR Newcastle PSRC

Best EDI Embedded within a Project (Poster or Oral) Award: Sigrun Clark, NIHR Central London PSRC

Best PPIE Embedded within a Project (Poster or Oral) Award: Gill Lever, NIHR Greater Manchester PSRC

This blog was written by Christopher Hatton, PhD student at the NIHR Midlands PSRC.

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