All team members should have the opportunity to contribute, maybe for one to two minutes per team member depending on the size of the team. A template agenda with a few key points or questions can give huddles a clear focus, such as:

• How did we do yesterday?
• Is there anything to follow up on?
• Are there any patient safety issues for today?
• Are there issues or concerns that have been highlighted by patients?
• What will we do today to reduce risk and improve patient safety?
• How are we progressing with any ongoing patient safety issues?

Teams may wish to rotate who leads the huddle – it does not always have to be the manager or team leader. Sharing responsibility for leading the huddle can help all team members feel included and help to promote an inclusive patient safety culture.

It is important to keep huddles positive and supportive to encourage all team members to share their ideas, concerns and opinions and openly discuss what works and what doesn’t.