World Patient Safety Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the high burden of medication-related harm due to medication errors and unsafe practices with the aim of improving medication safety.
World Patient Safety Day is one of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global public health days and takes place every year on 17 September. The theme this year is ‘Medication Without Harm’.
Unsafe medication practices and errors are a leading cause of avoidable harm in healthcare across the world.
‘Medication Without Harm’ will focus on making the process of medication safer and free from harm, encouraging everyone to prioritise medication safety and address unsafe practices and system weaknesses in the three main causes of avoidable harm, namely high-risk situations, transitions of care and polypharmacy.
As well as raising awareness of the high burden of medication-related harm, World Patient Safety Day is an opportunity to engage with staff to prevent medication errors and medication-related harm, empowering patients to be actively involved.
There is lots of great work happening in NHS Lanarkshire to improve medication safety. Can you showcase the work happening in your area(s) to improve medication safety? Please contact the improvement advisor aligned to your operational unit.
University Hospital Hairmyres
Karen Jenkins, Karen.jenkins@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Jenna McNaughton, jenna.mcnaughton@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
University Hospital Wishaw (including maternity and neonatal services)
Jackie Duncan, Jacqueline.duncan@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
University Hospital Monklands
Jennifer Baillie, Jennifer.baillie3@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire
Eileen McGinley, Eileen.mcginley@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Craig Eden, craig.eden@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership
Elise Palmer, elise.palmer@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
More information can be found here.
