How to create local safety standards for invasive procedures (LocSSIPs) by engaging the team in patient safety.

National safety standards for invasive procedures (NatSSIPs), published by NHS England in 2015, recommend the creation and implementation of local safety standards for all invasive procedures. This includes procedures undertaken outside a hospital environment, such as surgical procedures undertaken by dentists. In order to implement a local safety standard for invasive procedures (LocSSIP) for oral surgery procedures at a large London teaching hospital, a clean sheet redesign of our service was carried out based on a bottom up model of transformation, using a 'diagnose, design and implement' strategy. Frontline staff were involved in developing and implementing the policy from the outset. The oral surgery LocSSIP is presented, in addition to the challenges and positive experiences gained from creating and implementing a new policy in a large organisation. An observational audit of compliance with the new safety standards was carried out showing good initial compliance, with a reduction in compliance around six months after implementation. Further training, reminders to staff and further rounds of observational audit were undertaken to address this. Involvement of staff in service improvement is key to successful implementation of change.