Using the App

Incident Reporting Simulator

Premium tool. Open from /training-dashboard → Incident Reporting card (the dashboard uses the short label, without the "Simulator" suffix), or directly at /incident-reporting-simulator.

Most NHS trusts use Datix (or a local equivalent like Ulysses, InPhase, RL6) for incident reporting. This simulator drills the workflow Band 5+ BMSs use to log, classify, and escalate incidents.

What it does

• Presents a realistic pathology incident
• Asks you to classify severity (Low / Moderate / Severe / Catastrophic)
• Walks you through the Datix-style form fields
• Tests your decision on PSIRF (Patient Safety Incident Response Framework) escalation pathways
• Generates a complete incident record you can attach to portfolio evidence

Severity classification

• Low / No harm — sample inconvenience, no patient impact
• Moderate harm — patient inconvenienced, treatment delayed but no clinical deterioration
• Severe harm — clinical deterioration directly attributable
• Catastrophic harm / death — patient died or has permanent severe harm linked to the incident

The simulator drills the judgement calls — many real incidents are genuinely ambiguous and the simulator shows what governance teams typically decide.

Mandatory external reports

Some incidents require external reporting beyond the internal Datix record:

• SHOT — Serious Hazards of Transfusion (transfusion-related)
• SABRE — MHRA blood safety regulatory
• MHRA Yellow Card — adverse events from devices, reagents, or drugs
• CQC — Care Quality Commission notifications for severe harm
• PSIRF Patient Safety Incident Investigation (PSII) — for the most serious incidents

The simulator covers when each applies.

PSIRF integration

Patient Safety Incident Response Framework replaced the old Serious Incident framework in 2022. Key changes the simulator teaches:

• Proportionate response — not every serious-looking incident needs a full PSII
• Compassionate engagement with staff and families
• Systems-thinking — RCA expectations are still there but framed differently
• Trust-level Patient Safety Incident Response Plan (PSIRP) determines local approach

Standards alignment

• NHS England PSIRF — current framework
• ISO 15189:2022 nonconformity management
• SHOT, SABRE, MHRA Yellow Card — external reporting
• CQC fundamental standards — relevant to severe-harm incidents
• Datix Cymru for Welsh NHS (and HSC equivalents in NI / Scotland)

Bands and competency mapping

• Band 4 / 5 — log incidents promptly and accurately
• Band 6 — review section incidents, lead investigations
• Band 7 / 8 — Trust patient-safety lead role, PSIRF implementation

Pair with Root Cause Analysis Simulator (article 48) — most logged incidents trigger an RCA. Also pair with Non-Conformance / GDPR Simulator for the regulatory-data branch.