Re-issued 12 February with correction – replaces earlier release issued 08 February -

12 February, 2007 – Vantage Technologies’ Sentinel Local Risk Management System (v1.3) has now achieved NRLS compliance from The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA), making it a fully NRLS-compliant risk management solution available to NHS organisations.

The certification of compliance follows sign offs on submissions from both Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and mid-Yorkshire NHS Trusts. The solution plays a vital role in helping Trusts meet the mandatory reporting regulations of the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS), which enables the NPSA to identify trends in patient safety, reduce risk and set out priorities and best practice, as outlined as a key action in Sir Liam Donaldson’s report, Safety First1.

Developed by Vantage Technologies, Sentinel is a fully NRLS-compliant risk management solution, and the only solution to enable pre-mapping of the entire NRLS dataset including the full medication data set.

Sentinel Risk Management is a web-based solution which enables staff to log in and report patient safety incidents on-site or remotely, simplifying the reporting process and making it more of an integral part of working practice for all staff, promoting a safety culture and ensuring lessons are learned from patient safety incidents.

The web-based approach means risk can be analysed and managed in real-time and is being used by Trusts across the UK to meet mandatory reporting requirements, providing timely and effective risk management and further improving patient safety levels.

Tim Ray, customer service director at Vantage Technologies said, “Sentinel Risk Management enables NHS organisations not only to meet mandatory reporting requirements, but also to adopt a more proactive approach to risk management to enhance staff and patient safety and deliver the best possible levels of care.

“Achieving NRLS compliance is testament to the quality of our solution and we will continue to work closely with customers and the National Patient Safety Agency to develop new ways of monitoring and managing risk.”

The solution has been successfully deployed at Sedgefield PCT where the number of patient incidents logged has risen by 500% since implementation. It has enabled Sedgefield to record and manage incidents more effectively, helping to identify incident themes and trends and improve the overall quality of patient care.

For Birmingham East and North PCT deployment of Sentinel Risk Management has increased incident reporting by 70%. The solution has lowered administration levels, freeing up valuable time and allowing clinical staff to spend more time delivering care to patients.

Editors Notes:
1 – Safety First: A report for patients, clinicians and healthcare managers; © Crown copyright 2006

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Vantage Technologies Limited
Vantage Technologies Limited is an IT services and solutions company, founded in 1988, specialising in the delivery of innovative software solutions for the improvement of working practice. Vantage is active in a variety of market sectors including local authorities, healthcare, police and professional institutions. Its product portfolio of web-based solutions includes risk management, professional development and e-learning. For further information visit: www.vantage-technologies.co.uk