Truth, facts, evidence and opinion in independent healthcare investigations

It is the primary job of an independent investigation to safely surface the facts, based on the evidence which is available. Even then, a good investigator will treat all evidence with caution, as evidence from different sources can emerge as completely at odds, contradictory even and sometimes false (for example where a care record has been revised). Evidence can ‘come with an agenda’ and it can be used for a purpose, therefore, proper triangulation and forensic analysis are crucial and that is an important part of the detailed work we do at Niche.

It is also the job of an independent investigation to understand the background to what people describe as their experiences and opinions. For example, staff on an NHS ward providing care, families witnessing care, or a patient in receipt of that care may (and often do) provide very different accounts of a care event.

Ideally, an independent investigation will surface facts which are well-triangulated and can be considered to pass the test of “beyond reasonable doubt.” But sometimes an independent investigation will need to state that the facts cannot be known because of the limitations of available evidence.

Sometimes, even when the truth is beyond reasonable doubt, people will seek to reject it in favour of their opinion. This is why our independent role is so important. Our work enables the truth to be surfaced – what has actually happened rather than what people think may have happened – enabling proper learning to occur and the same mistakes being made in the future.