11 November 2026, Dr Henrietta Hughes OBE, FRCGP, SFFMLM ‘Listening to Patients: Reflections from the Patient Safety Commissioner, including valproate, pelvic mesh and Martha’s Rule’
Dr Henrietta Hughes OBE, FRCGP, SFFMLM
GP and Patient Safety Commissioner for England
Professor Henrietta Hughes OBE started as the first Patient Safety Commissioner in September 2022, an independent role recommended by the report First Do No Harm.
Acting as an independent champion for patients Henrietta leads a drive to improve the safety of medicines and medical devices by ensuring that patient voices are at the heart of the design and delivery of healthcare in England.
A practising GP and Visiting Professor at the Institute of Medicine, University of Greater Manchester, Henrietta is a member of the Health Honours Committee and the guiding group of the Women’s Health and Care Leaders Network. Henrietta was previously the National Guardian for the NHS and a Medical Director at NHS England. Henrietta has held executive and non-executive roles in the NHS and is Chair of Childhood First, a children’s charity.
In her presentation on ‘Listening to Patients’, Henrietta will cover the following:
- The vital role of the Patient Safety Commissioner
- Reflections on her first term as Patient Safety Commissioner
- Key findings from Henrietta’s report (the Hughes Report) which proposed options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh
- Understanding and addressing the patient safety gap
- Martha’s Rule which is designed to ensure urgent, independent reviews if a patient’s condition deteriorates and their family’s concerns are not being acted upon: rationale, progress and impact
- Looking ahead: the AI Commission and future patient safety work
For the link to access meeting via Teams, please click here
You can see the recording of the talk on our YouTube channel once available by clicking here
For any more information please contact admin@medchi.org.uk