New guidance has been published by the national patient safety programme to help Scotland's health and social care systems continue to deliver safe care during covid-19 and beyond.

The new ‘Essentials of Safe Care’ package consolidates existing safety guidance into one place for use in any health or social care setting.

The NHS in Scotland is set to remain on an emergency footing at least until the summer, although an increasing number of screening programmes and services are being brought back into operation.

Amid warnings like those coming from the BMA – which said recently that overworked doctors must be allowed time to ‘rest and recuperate’ to keep patients safe – the Essentials of Safe Care package focuses on four key themes, including fostering leadership that promotes a culture of safety where staff wellbeing is prioritised.

The consolidated guidance also focuses on how person-centred care can be delivered, alongside safe and consistent clinical and care processes in every setting, as well as safe communication between staff and team leaders that encourages shared learning.

Joanne Matthews, Head of Improvement Support and Safety at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “As Scotland now adapts and plans for this new context as a result of the covid-19 pandemic, creating the conditions for maintaining safety for those receiving and delivering care remains a guiding principle.

"The Essentials of Safe Care is a great example of what can be achieved when health and social care teams come together around the shared goal of improving the safety of care in Scotland. Thank you to everyone involved."

Developed following feedback from services across the health and social care system, the new package has drawn together experience of things that worked during the first wave of the pandemic and what would help during the current context and beyond covid-19.

To support implementation of the package beyond its launch, the Scottish Patient Safety Programme will facilitate a virtual system for teams and networks from across health and social care to come together to share their learning and experience.

Collaboration with key stakeholders including the Care Inspectorate is also promised, to identify and develop any additional improvement support needs for services.

Read more: Thousands of Scots praised for ‘vital’ covid research; New online course focuses on technology in care; Insight: Harnessing the pandemic innovation surge

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