Early identification of clinical deterioration in hospitalised patients is important to prevent subsequent cardiopulmonary arrest and reduce mortality. Understanding where and why the care process fails, resulting in the inability to recognise patient deterioration, can help healthcare staff and organisations to prioritise and improve patient safety. This article is based on interagency work undertaken by the National Patient Safety Agency and guidelines produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Early identification of clinical deterioration in hospitalised patients is important to prevent subsequent cardiopulmonary arrest and reduce mortality. Understanding where and why the care process fails, resulting in the inability to recognise patient deterioration, can help healthcare staff and organisations to prioritise and improve patient safety. This article is based on interagency work undertaken by the National Patient Safety Agency and guidelines produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

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Background: Incident reporting is widely used in both patient safety improvement programmes, and in research on patient safety. Objective: To identify the key requirements for incident reporting systems in primary care; to develop an Internet-based incident reporting and learning system for primary care. Methods: A literature review looking at the purpose, design and requirements of an incident reporting system (IRS) was used to update an existing incident reporting system, widely used in Germany. Then, an international expert panel with knowledge on IRS developed the criteria for the design of a new web-based incident reporting system for European primary care. A small demonstration project was used to create a web-based reporting system, to be made freely available for practitioners and researchers. The expert group compiled recommendations regarding the desirable features of an incident reporting system for European primary care. These features covered the purpose of reporting, who should be involved in reporting, the mode of reporting, design considerations, feedback mechanisms and preconditions necessary for the implementation of an IRS. Results: A freely available web-based reporting form was developed, based on these criteria. It can be modified for local contexts. Practitioners and researchers can use this system as a means of recording patient safety incidents in their locality and use it as a basis for learning from errors. Conclusion: The LINNEAUS collaboration has provided a freely available incident reporting system that can be modified for a local context and used throughout Europe.