On 17th September 2022, Ireland joins countries around the globe in celebrating World Patient Safety Day.
What is World Patient Safety Day?
World Patient Safety Day focuses on raising awareness and ensuring that patient safety is recognised as an international health priority. It is led by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
What is the Theme for this year?
The theme for this year’s World Patient Safety Day is ‘Medication Without Harm’. This is the focus of the current WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge and a key priority for the HSE National Medication Safety Programme.
Medication harm accounts for 50% of the overall preventable harm in medical care (WHO, 2022).
Reducing medication-related harm is a priority in the HSE Patient Safety Strategy 2019-2024 and a key focus for the National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate.
On 17th September, the Department of Health issued a press release marking World Patient Safety Day 2022 which includes a quote from the National Clinical Director for the Quality & Patient Safety Directorate, Dr Orla Healy.
National QPS Initiatives to Promote World Patient Safety Day
In observance of World Patient Safety Day 2022, the National QPS Directorate is developing a range of awareness campaigns and capacity-building initiatives through webinars, podcasts, targeted communications, media campaigns and informational videos. These include:
| Upcoming Events for your diary |
What |
How |
When |
| Participate in |
Online symposium jointly hosted by the State Claims Agency and the HSE National Medication Safety Programme
Re-launch of QPS TalkTime, fortnightly webinar series. The first topic we will explore is psychological safety.
|
Watch Recording here
Access Programme here
Register here
|
Thursday 15th September 12pm-2pm
Tuesday, 13th September 2022 at 13.00
|
| Watch |
Informational Video on the National Medication Safety Programme and the Know Check Ask Campaign
|
Watch here now
|
Launched 30th August
|
| Watch |
Informational Video on World Patient Safety Day 2022, featuring two of our valued patient partners.
|
Watch here now
|
Launched Wednesday 14th September
|
| Listen to |
The first 4 podcast episodes in the ‘Walk and Talk Improvement’ Podcast – launch of the first 4 episodes of our 6-episode series focused on the Commitments of the Patient Safety Strategy
|
Access episodes here
|
Launched Tuesday 13th September
|
| Read |
Daily patient safety messages to HSE staff via social media broadcasts
|
Via Twitter @NationalQPS
|
Monday 12th – Friday 23th September
|
| Read |
Health Matters Autumn 2022 article on World Patient Safety Day and Medication Safety
|
|
Available week of 19th September
|
| Read |
INMO Article on World Patient Safety Day
|
|
September 2022 edition |
| Join |
Join the QPS Ireland Network Map and connect with people involved in healthcare quality improvement and patient safety across Ireland.
|
|
|
| Learn |
Medication Without Harm training course (1 hr 40 min) developed by the Irish Institute of Pharmacy in collaboration with the HSE Medication Safety Programme. The aim of this training is to help you reduce severe, avoidable medication related harm by applying the concepts of Know, Check, Ask and person-centred care. The programme would be of particular interest to pharmacy, nursing, medical and other health and social care professionals. |
Available online at HSEland. Login and input “Medication without Harm” in the search bar. |
Any time |
| |
|
|
|
Local / Regional Initiatives to Promote World Patient Safety Day
| Where |
What |
How |
When |
| National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dublin |
Medication without Harm event to promote World Patient Safety Day, organised by the Pharmacy and Quality & Risk Departments |
Meet us onsite throughout the day! We will have a stand in the main hospital foyer and visit the units for patients who are unable to attend the stand. There will be information in paper and electronic format from a number of different sources including local material, WHO, and resources from Safermeds |
Wednesday 14th September, all day |
| University of Limerick Hospitals Group |
Medication without Harm event to promote World Patient Safety Day, organised by the QPS Department |
Meet us onsite at the University Hospital Limerick! We will have tables showcasing different aspects of medication safety in our main outpatients corridor. One of these will be focused on the patient experience in relation to medication safety. It will include information on the ‘Know, Check, Ask’ campaign, as well as information for patients on documenting their medication when coming into hospital |
Friday 16th September, all day |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda |
Medication without Harm event to promote World Patient Safety Day |
Visit stands set up at the Health Promotion corner on Mon 19th and Tues 20th September. A TV screen will play videos from the WHO World Patient Safety Day “Medication without Harm” initiative, and posters will be available from the Know Check Ask campaign. “My Medicines” lists will also be available to provide to patients. |
Mon 19th and Tues 20th September, all day |
How Can I Promote World Patient Safety Day?
We encourage everyone working in healthcare to consider what they can do to mark World Patient Safety day 2022. We would be delighted to help promote your event on our website and through social media channels.
If you are organising an event to promote World Patient Safety Day in your local health service, please share your plans with our Patient Safety Programme Team by:
- Emailing NQPS@hse.ie with details.
- Tag @NationalQPS on twitter with the hashtags #QIreland #WorldPatientSafetyDay
The following free resources may help you facilitate sharing the messages in your place of work:
- The ‘Know Check Ask’ campaign aims to reduce medication-related harm through better understanding of medication and communication about it. We also have printed supplies of My Medicines Lists (A4 folded) as well as Know Check Ask and 5 Moments for Medication Safety posters (A3 posters). If you require these materials, please complete our online form and we will have these posted to you.
Connect with Us
For the latest updates on World Patient Safety Day events coordinated by the National QPS Directorate, follow us on Twitter @NationalQPS.
