Charles Vincent, Editor. (Pp 573; £47.50). London: BMJ Books, 2001. ISBN 0 7279 1392 1

The subtitle of this book, now in its second edition, indicates why it should be essential reading for all healthcare workers. At the heart of aspirations around delivering quality in health and healthcare systems must be the safety of the patient. Anything less than this focus means that the trust and confidence which patients and their families have in healthcare providers will be misplaced. “Do no harm”, the Hippocratic oath reminds us; “put patient safety first” is the message of Clinical Risk Management.

Edited …