To be effective, the SEA frequently seeks contributions from all members of the healthcare team and involves a subsequent discussion to answer why the occurrence happened and what lessons can be learned.
[2] The Medical Defence Union (MDU) defines SEA as "a way of formally analysing incidents with implications for patient care in order to improve services".
The GMC describe a SEA as;an untoward or critical incident...which...is any unintended or unexpected event, which could or did lead to harm of one or more patients.
[1] SEA is mainly a concept from the UK,[7][8] where team members come together to constructively review an event that has occurred, broadly equating to doing a case study.
[4] Attendees usually comprise a few or a number from the following;[3][14] In the meeting, those involved in the event present what happened in the case, followed by questioning and a group discussion about how the situation was dealt with.
Other reporting systems include the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) Yellow Card Scheme for adverse medical events.
[2] The method of SEA, focusing on the team rather than the individual, is founded on the critical incident technique, developed during the Second World War by aviation psychologist John C. Flanagan, to identify successful and adverse aspects of "combat leadership".
[2] Within the NHS, seriously untoward events were analysed via a number of methods including grand rounds, clinico-pathology meetings and confidential enquiries.