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“Elevate the voice of patients!”
World Patient Safety Day 2023 will be observed on 17 September under the theme “Engaging patients for patient safety”, in recognition of the crucial role patients, families and caregivers play in the safety of health care.
Evidence shows that when patients are treated as partners in their care, significant gains are made in safety, patient satisfaction and health outcomes. By becoming active members of the health care team, patients can contribute to the safety of their care and that of the health care system as a whole.
Through the slogan “Elevate the voice of patients!”, WHO calls on all stakeholders to take necessary action to ensure that patients are involved in policy formulation, are represented in governance structures, are engaged in co-designing safety strategies, and are active partners in their own care. This can only be achieved by providing platforms and opportunities for diverse patients, families, and communities to raise their voice, concerns, expectations and preferences to advance safety, patient centeredness, trustworthiness, and equity.
Patient and family engagement was embedded in the Resolution WHA72.6 – “Global action on patient safety” and the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030 as main strategies for moving towards eliminating avoidable harm in health care.
World Patient Safety Day is one of WHO’s global public health days. It was established in 2019 by the 72nd World Health Assembly through the adoption of resolution WHA72.6 – “Global action on patient safety”. Its objectives are to increase public awareness and engagement, enhance global understanding, and work towards global solidarity and action by Member States to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm.
Objectives of World Patient Safety Day 2023
- Raise global awareness of the need for active engagement of patients and their families and caregivers in all settings and at all levels of health care to improve patient safety.
- Engage policy-makers, health care leaders, health and care workers, patients’ organizations, civil society and other stakeholders in efforts to engage patients and families in the policies and practices for safe health care.
- Empower patients and families to be actively involved in their own health care and in the improvement of safety of health care.
- Advocate urgent action on patient and family engagement, aligned with the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030, to be taken by all partners.
Working together to make health care safer
The global campaign for World Patient Safety Day 2023 will propose a wide range of activities for all stakeholders on and around 17 September, including national campaigns, policy forums, advocacy and technical events, capacity-building initiatives and, as in previous years, lighting up iconic monuments, landmarks and public places in the colour orange (the signature mark of the campaign).
