Sir Jeremy Hunt has become an honorary doctor of University of Staffordshire for his contribution to improving patient safety
Thank you to all the students graduating. You've chosen, I think, the most challenging profession, but also the most rewarding.
The former Cabinet Minister picked up the honorary degree on Wednesday 11 November, alongside Allied Health and Social Work graduates at the university’s Autumn Awards ceremonies.
Sir Jeremy described it as a “very personal honour” and that he wouldn't want to be at any other university in the country receiving his first ever honorary degree.
Addressing the graduating cohort, he said: “I'm so proud of what you've been studying and the force for good that you are going to be in the world of healthcare because you've been learning the very most important things. About human factors, about not having a blame culture, about the most important priority being to learn from what goes wrong...you are right on the front line of creating a better culture.
“So, thank you to the university for what you are doing. Thank you to all the students graduating. You've chosen, I think, the most challenging profession, but also the most rewarding.”
A Member of Parliament since 2005, Sir Jeremy has held several cabinet positions and served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care between 2012 and 2018, making him the longest-serving holder of the role.
During his time in office, he championed improvements to patient safety following the Francis Inquiry into failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
His work included overhauling the inspection regime for healthcare providers, introducing a new duty of candour for NHS staff and strengthening protections for whistle-blowers.
He also introduced a new approach to learning from patient safety incidents, shifting the focus towards identifying and addressing problems within systems rather than placing blame on individuals.
Since leaving the role, Sir Jeremy has continued to advocate for improvements in healthcare through two books on patient safety and the establishment of Patient Safety Watch, a charity focused on improving outcomes across the NHS.
Patient safety is a central focus of University of Staffordshire’s healthcare education and research. This includes pioneering immersive simulation technologies in healthcare training for professionals across the sector.
Its expertise in this area also led to the introduction of the UK's first MSc in Human Factors for Patient Safety in 2020. The same year, it created ReSNET (Research into Safety in Health and Social Care Network), bringing together researchers to address safety challenges across health and social care.
Professor Philip Plowden, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at University of Staffordshire, said: "Sir Jeremy has played an important role in bringing patient safety to the forefront of healthcare and driving changes that have helped shape how organisations learn from mistakes and improve care.
“His determination to champion this cause reflects the importance we place on preparing healthcare professionals to deliver safe and compassionate care here at University of Staffordshire. We are delighted to recognise his contribution and the lasting impact of his work.”