My abiding memory from the WHO Global Conference ‘Engaging Patients for Patient Safety’ was the shocking experiences outlined by patients and families from across the world who had been bereaved or suffered appalling and life-changing harm.
‘We will only improve patient safety by the collaboration of and respect for healthcare workers’
At the World Patient Safety Movement Summit at the beginning of June I had the pleasure to meet with and hear from Don Berwick, the leading authority on healthcare improvement.
‘When the conversation is only about money, risk to patients increases’
‘If we listen to patients, they will give us the route map to success. We will have better patient safety, improved staff retention and better finances…’
‘Engaging patients is key’
Imagine a world where we get the information about medicines and medical devised that we need to make the right choices about our healthcare. And those that deliver care to us get the right information to share with us so that we give truly informed consent.
‘I will be a champion for patients’
We use our blog to talk about our work, highlight successes and share what we’re learning. Blogs are a personal way of engaging with our users, so please write as you speak, as an individual rather than an organisation or team.
‘Leaders need to open up their mindset’
My role as Patient Safety Commissioner is to promote the safety of patients in relation to medicines and medical devices and to promote the importance of listening to the views and experience of patients and the public. But we shouldn’t need a new statutory role to tell us this – the whole system should be listening continuously to patients and acting on their feedback.