Slide 1

Healthcare Fatigue Forum 2026

The annual Healthcare Fatigue Forum is being held on 5th November 2026 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The theme for 2026 is “Implementing system change for patient safety”

The event is being hosted by Northumbria University and sponsored by FRMSc.

Building on the previous forum events, the theme will explore regulatory and governance approaches, drawing on the experiences of the aviation industry. We will discuss the impact of fatigue on patient safety and staff wellbeing and performance, before highlighting inspiring system change and implementation in practice.

The event will be a mix of formal presentations, posters, workshops, and small group discussions to allow for networking and shared learning. Attendees are invited who are employees and healthcare professionals of health and social care organisations and academia.

Learning outcomes:

  1. Develop an understanding of the impact of fatigue
  2. Gain an awareness of actionable mitigations
  3. Recognise how small positive changes can form a fatigue risk management strategy
  4. Be inspired to take local action

CPD points: 5

Days
Hours

Thursday 5th November
09:00 – 17:00

  • Lunch & refreshments provided
  • Followed by a drinks & networking reception

Location:
Northumbria University
Great Hall
Sutherland building
Northumberland Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8ST

Healthcare Fatigue Forum Conference Programme

TIMEEVENT
09:10Welcome — Douglas Mellor & Alison Steven
IMPACT OF FATIGUE ON PATIENT SAFETY AND STAFF WELLBEING/PERFORMANCE
09:20Patient safety: What patients should expect — Helen Hughes
10:00Campaigning for patient safety — learning lessons / sharing experiences for fatigue risk management — Dawn Benson
10:30How fatigue impacts healthcare professionals' delivery of care — Ceri Sutherland
10:50Questions and panel discussion — Helen Hughes, Dawn Benson, Ceri Sutherland
11:10Tea/Coffee & Poster viewing
REGULATORY / GOVERNANCE APPROACHES
Fatigue risk management and regulation
11:30In Healthcare: HSSIB Report — one year on — Saskia Fursland
12:00In Aviation: The practicalities of regulation and its oversight — Kathryn Jones
12:30Questions and panel discussion — Saskia Fursland, Kathryn Jones, Clare Land
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
13:00The night duty debate: Workplace cultures of fatigue — a historical perspective — Kristin Hussey
13:30Lunch and poster viewing
INSPIRING SYSTEM CHANGE AND IMPLEMENTATION IN PRACTICE
14:30Exploring approaches to fatigue management in NHS nursing — Stephanie Fox
14:45FRAMEwork: Piloting a fatigue risk management approach for healthcare — Bristol NHS Group — Laura Pickup & Emma Dodd
15:00REFRESH: Co-designing FRMS, NIHR Workforce Voices partnership — Alison Steven & Matt Lievesly
15:15RVI Case Study: Data, working relationships and influences — Suzi Jackson & Nancy Redfern
15:30Workshop with tea/coffee: Doing fatigue risk management
16:15The European perspective: Encouraging change in different cultures — Mirka Chekkilova
16:45Wrap up: What's happened in the last year and what can we do next — Nancy Redfern & Emma Plunkett
17:00Close