Before you begin, have you completed the first five modules in this series about patient safety?
Part one: The importance of a safety culture
Part two: Investigating incidents and causes
Part three: Getting to grips with safety culture
Part four: Reporting and analysis
Part five: Patient and public involvement

The original CPPE programme was developed in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (GM PSTRC). The NIHR GM PSTRC is a partnership between The University of Manchester and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.

Disclaimer: This learning programme is intended to aid the assessment of different aspects of patient safety with a view to making improvements. Using it will not, on its own, ensure you are compliant with health and safety legislation. Organisations should evaluate their own level of compliance with the law and seek competent advice if appropriate.

Some community pharmacy teams are already using huddles to promote a positive safety culture, but what are they and how can they help?

A huddle is a short, informal meeting, usually around 15 minutes long. It can be built into the working day and what teams already do, though is often held at the start of the day or shift. Huddles provide an opportunity for each team member to share information, express opinions and raise concerns or issues. They should focus on the immediate issues, making sure everyone understands the priorities for the day and how to achieve these. They are not intended to be meetings involving full investigations or long-term planning; they focus on “what are we going to do today?”.