A Guide for NHS Staff (PDF, 231K, 33secs)
About this guide
This booklet is a guide to FAIs for NHS staff. It explains the process, what happens in court and provides advice on how staff can prepare and debrief.
The guidance in this booklet aims to help give NHS staff confidence when their organisation is involved in an FAI by providing information drawn from previous papers, and reflections of NHS staff who have been involved in FAIs.
About the working group
In 2006 NHS QIS established a working group to examine the fatal accident inquiries (FAI) process, in partnership with NHS Boards and the Central Legal Office (CLO). Through the work that the group undertook, it was recognised that establishing ways of learning from past inquiries and experience was important. As a result of this, FAI determinations are available online which has been brought together centrally by the CLO on the CLO website. The determinations can be accessed at NHS Board level.
The working group also found NHS staff experiences varied in terms of support and information when going through such inquiries. Based on this, the group agreed that providing staff with general information and guidance on the FAI process would be helpful and this booklet has been developed. It is hoped that this important resource will support staff who find themselves involved in an FAI.