Today, I am pleased to publish my Annual Report for 2025–26.
Over the past year, I have met patients, families, clinicians, campaigners and healthcare leaders from across the country. Their experiences have reinforced something I have long believed: patients are not simply recipients of care. They are experts in their own experiences and often the first people to identify when something is going wrong.
This year marked an important milestone for me personally with my reappointment as Patient Safety Commissioner for England. It also felt like a moment of transition for the role itself. In the early years, much of our work focused on establishing the office, building relationships and ensuring patient concerns were heard. Increasingly, we are seeing those voices shape policy, influence decision-making and deliver change.
Nowhere is the need for change more evident than in the experiences of those harmed by pelvic mesh and valproate. The patients and families affected have shown extraordinary resilience over many years. Their campaigning has shone a light on failings that should never have happened and has challenged the system to do better.
This year, with patients and families still waiting for justice, I continued to push for progress on redress. The conversations I have had with affected families make clear that this is not simply about compensation. It is about acknowledgement. It is about accountability. It is about recognising the profound impact these harms have had on people’s lives and rebuilding trust in a healthcare system that failed them.
While there has been progress in some areas, patients are still waiting for the clarity and certainty they deserve. Their determination serves as a reminder that patient safety is not only about preventing future harm. It is also about responding appropriately when harm has already occurred.
Alongside this work, I have been struck by the growing evidence that patient insight can prevent harm before it happens. We have seen this through improvements in the management of potent teratogenic medicines, where concerns raised by patients helped drive action across the healthcare system. The result has been stronger safeguards, better awareness and improved protection for patients.
We have also seen the remarkable impact of Martha’s Rule. This initiative was born out of one family’s determination to ensure no one else experienced what they did. Today, it is helping patients and families raise concerns when they believe someone is deteriorating and ensuring those concerns receive appropriate clinical attention. The early results demonstrate the value of creating systems that listen when patients and families speak up.
A common thread running through many of the issues brought to my office is communication. Patients consistently tell us they want clear information, honest conversations and meaningful involvement in decisions about their care. Whether discussing medicines, medical devices or emerging technologies, people want to understand the benefits, risks and uncertainties in ways that are accessible and useful.
That is why I was pleased to see progress this year on modernising patient information. Too often, important information is difficult to access or understand. Improving how we communicate with patients is not a secondary issue. It is fundamental to safe care and informed choice.
Looking to the future, few developments have the potential to reshape healthcare more than artificial intelligence. AI could support earlier diagnosis, improve treatment and help clinicians deliver more personalised care. However, every conversation I have had with patients about AI has highlighted the same message: innovation must earn trust.
Patients are not asking for technology to be slowed down. They are asking for it to be introduced responsibly. They want transparency about how AI is being used, reassurance that systems are safe and a clear understanding of who is accountable when things go wrong. These are reasonable expectations and they must remain central as healthcare evolves.
The patient safety challenges facing healthcare today are complex, but I remain optimistic. Across government, regulators, healthcare organisations and industry, I see growing recognition of the value of listening to patients. More organisations are seeking patient insight earlier, involving patients in decision-making and recognising that lived experience can strengthen safety and improve outcomes.
The lesson I take from this year is simple. The safest healthcare systems are not those that assume they have all the answers. They are the systems that are curious, humble and willing to learn.
Patients have an essential role in that learning.
As we move into the next year, I remain committed to ensuring that patient voices continue to be heard, acted upon and embedded in the decisions that shape medicines, medical devices and the future of healthcare. Because when we truly listen to patients, everyone benefits.
Read the report: Patient Safety Commissioner | Annual Report 2025–26