In this week’s episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast, I sit down with Helen Hughes, Chief Executive of Patient Safety Learning, alongside our own Dearbhaile Mulholland, whose passion for safer care sparked this powerful conversation.

Helen’s work shines a light on something many of us feel deeply but rarely articulate, that patient safety is everyone’s responsibility, and that real change only happens when we share learning openly, honestly and without fear. From global systems thinking to the everyday realities faced by frontline staff, Helen brings a rare blend of clarity, compassion and courage to a topic that affects every patient, every carer and every clinician.

🔍 In this episode, we explore:

Why avoidable harm remains one of healthcare’s biggest challenges

How collaboration, culture and shared learning can transform safety

The story behind The Hub, now the world’s largest patient-safety knowledge platform

Why seating, posture and equipment need to be part of the safety conversation

What it truly means to move from blame to learning, and from isolated practice to collective responsibility

This episode is an honest, energising and deeply hopeful reminder that safer care isn’t just possible, it’s achievable when we empower the people who know their patients best, listen to those closest to harm, and give teams the tools and trust they need to do the right thing.

Whether you work in healthcare, leadership, quality improvement or simply believe in the dignity every person deserves, Helen’s insight will stay with you long after you finish listening.

🎧 Thank you for joining us. I’d love to hear your thoughts or reflections, you can reach me at [email protected].

If this episode resonated with you, please rate, review and share, it helps spread this important message further.