The NHS England (Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch) Directions 2022
These directions required NHS England to establish a division to be known as the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) on 1 July 2022. These directions were revoked on 1 October 2023, and accordingly the HSIB no longer exists.
Applies to England
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The HSIB was part of NHS England and conducted programmes of national and maternity investigations.
National investigations
From 1 October 2023, only certain parts of the NHS England (Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch) Directions 2022 (‘the 2022 directions’) will continue to have effect.
The Health and Care Act 2022, alongside the Health and Care Act 2022 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations, established the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) on 1 October 2023.
The NHS England (Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch) (Revocation, Transitional and Saving Provision) Directions 2023 (‘the 2023 directions’) revoke the 2022 directions. However, the 2022 directions continue to have effect, with certain modifications, in relation to national investigations which were ongoing immediately before the HSSIB was established. This will allow the HSSIB to complete these investigations.
Once the HSSIB has completed these investigations, there will be no part of the 2022 directions which continue to have effect.
Maternity investigations
The directions which conferred the HSIB’s maternity investigation functions on NHS England have now been fully revoked.
The HSIB’s maternity investigations programme transitioned to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 1 October 2023. The Care Quality Commission (Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigation Programme) Directions 2023 confer the HSIB’s maternity investigation programme to CQC. The new directions allow for the continuation of independent, single case investigations.
Last updated 2 October 2023 + show all updates
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Updated to partially revoke the NHS England (HSIB) Directions 2022 and fully revoke the NHS England (HSIB Additional Investigatory Functions in Respect of Maternity Cases) Directions 2022, and to add links to the new directions.
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First published.