Keeping Our Communities Safe

At Community Health Partnerships (CHP) sites, the safety and wellbeing of everyone using our buildings is a shared responsibility. One of the most effective ways tenants can help create a safer environment is by reporting near misses.

What is a Near Miss?

A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage, but had the potential to do so.

Examples include:

• A loose floor tile that someone almost trips over.
• Water leaking onto a walkway but no one slips.
• A shelf or fixture becoming unstable but not falling.
• A fire door that fails to close properly.
• An electrical hazard discovered before causing an incident.
• Build up of limescale on a tap.

Why is Reporting Important?

Near misses are valuable warning signs. By reporting them, we can:

Prevent Future Incidents

Many serious accidents are preceded by smaller events or near misses. Reporting concerns early allows corrective action to be taken before someone is harmed.

Protect Staff, Patients and Visitors

Healthcare environments are busy places with vulnerable patients, staff, contractors and members of the public. Addressing hazards quickly helps keep everyone safe.

Improve Building Safety

Near miss reports help identify recurring issues, allowing CHP and tenants to work together to improve facilities, processes and maintenance arrangements.

Promote a Positive Safety Culture

Reporting demonstrates a commitment to health and safety and encourages everyone to take an active role in preventing accidents.

What Should You Do?

If you witness or discover a near miss:

1. Make the area safe if it is safe for you to do so.
2. Inform the Operations and Relationship Manager (ORM) or raise to the helpdesk as soon as possible.
3. Report the details through your organisation’s reporting process and through CHP’s Assure system.
4. Provide clear information, including location, time, and any photographs where appropriate.

Remember a near miss is a free lesson

Reporting it today could prevent an injury tomorrow. Every report helps CHP and its tenants maintain safe, welcoming environments for staff, patients, visitors and the wider community.

See it. Report it. Prevent it.