All providers of NHS funded services are required to be open and transparent with families and patients when things go wrong with their healthcare. An independent investigation is carried out by an independent, expert organisation who is given access to all the information and records about the patient’s care and treatment, to carry out a thorough review and report on its findings and recommendations.

Sancus is the largest dedicated intelligence and investigations training company in the UK. We are also leading experts in undertaking serious and complex investigations for NHS England at times of crisis, with a proven track record.

Our framework for undertaking independent investigations is fully compliant with NHS England’s Serious Incident Framework guidance on undertaking an independent investigation following a homicide in mental health services.

Each investigation is conducted by a ‘Sancus Approved’ multi-disciplinary team of associates, who are leading specialists in their field. Alongside clinical and managerial expertise, many of our associates have a background in the police, which sets us apart from other investigation training companies who work within the NHS Framework.

We are also experienced in undertaking investigations with multi-agency involvement, including statutory, independent and third sectors, which has proven to increase understanding, trust and effectiveness between agencies.

All our work is carried out with integrity, professional competence and pragmatism.

There are five main stages to Sancus investigations. Each investigation follows a defined process;

• Initiation
• Fact finding
• Analysis,
• Report writing and
• Post investigative support

We track the progress of each investigation through a number of stages, ensuring that timeliness and quality indicators are adhered to and NHS England’s Terms of Reference are met.

Investigators will apply specific investigation methodologies to assist in planning, interviewing and report writing. These include Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) 2: Serious and complex crime.

Investigators will employ critical data analysis and evidence-based, intelligence gathering to identify areas of improvement, good practice, contributory factors and lessons learnt to improve the quality and safety of services. All recommendations are measurable, achievable and sustainable to the scope of the investigation.