How to Avoid Mistakes in Surgery – Horizon BBC2

May 8, 2014 by Murray Anderson-Wallace

Inspired by the work of the Clinical Human Factors Group and produced by the award-winning team from Horizon, A&E doctor Kevin Fong finds out how doctors can avoid making mistakes in the high-pressure, high-stakes world of the operating theatre. He sets out to learn how other professionals make life and death decisions under pressure – from airline pilots facing emergencies, to the Fire Service dealing with lethal blazes and to the world of Formula One pit crews.

The programme explores how learning from these fields, in particular the contribution from ergonomics and humans factors, are helping to make surgery safer.

Murray Anderson-Wallace contributed to the research for this programme as did many colleagues from the Clinical Human Factors Group (CHFG) whose work we have supported for the past three years.

Murray Anderson-Wallace has a clinical background in mental health services and psychological therapy, but has spent most of his career specialising in the social psychology of organisation and applied communications research.

His consulting practice is focussed on supporting organisations, networks and campaigns to tackle significant professional, ethical and social issues in more sensitive, humane and effective ways. Increasingly, he also supports people during serious incident investigations and represents families as an advocate in coronial proceedings.

Murray is Visiting Professor at the Health Systems Innovation Lab at London South Bank University, where he co-leads the Darzi Clinical Leadership Programme, the MA in Social Change.

His practice also includes work as an independent journalist and editor, producing media to stimulate debate about socio-cultural issues in complex human systems.

Murray has been recommended for appointment as a Specialist Magistrate sitting in the Family Courts and – pending approval from the Lord Chancellor’s Office – will begin his judicial role in 2021.

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