CQC supports World Patient Safety Day

We are showing support for today’s very first World Patient Safety Day.

The day has been organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in recognition of the scale of avoidable harm linked with medical errors across the world. It will be observed annually on 17 September and marks the launch of a global campaign to raise awareness of patient safety and urge people to show their commitment to making healthcare safer.

A total of 194 countries are supporting the day by pledging to recognise patient safety as a key health priority and to take action to reduce patient harm in health care settings.

Here in England, a patient safety conference is taking place at Imperial College London where international and UK patient safety leaders will be speaking. A number of hospital trusts and other health and care providers are also holding their own events to showcase patient safety initiatives and celebrate the work that their staff do to keep patients safe.

In support of the day CQC is encouraging health and care providers, partner organisations, the public and our own staff to advocate and promote the importance of patient safety.

Commenting on CQC’s support for World Patient Safety Day, Ian Trenholm, CQC’s Chief Executive said:

“Patient safety is a growing global challenge and this collective commitment to reduce patient harm is an important step in improving healthcare for all.

“No one should be harmed while seeking care, yet the occurrence of adverse events, resulting from unsafe care, is thought to be one of the 10 leading causes of death and disability worldwide*.

“Through our inspections we have found services that perform well on safety have strong leadership and embedded processes to closely monitor and respond to risks. They also have an open and transparent culture where people are valued, well trained and empowered to speak out about safety issues.

“While there is much good practice, too many patients are still being injured or suffering unnecessary harm. We must all look at what is working well, share learning from those getting it right and help support improvements both at home and abroad.”

*Jha AK. Presentation at the “Patient Safety – A Grand Challenge for Healthcare Professionals and Policymakers Alike” a Roundtable at the Grand Challenges Meeting of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 18 October 2018.