World Patient Safety Day 2023

Credit: WHO


with Information from WHO. 

Elevate the voice of patients!

World Patient Safety Day 2023, happening on September 17th under the theme "Engaging patients for patient safety," emphasizes the essential role patients, along with their families and caregivers, play in ensuring healthcare safety.

Clear evidence highlights that when patients actively engage in their healthcare, significant improvements occur in safety, satisfaction, and health outcomes. By actively participating in their healthcare team, patients become powerful contributors to their own safety and the broader healthcare system.

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 stands firmly embedded in Resolution WHA72.6 - "Global Action on Patient Safety" and the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030 as primary strategies to eliminate avoidable harm in healthcare.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Empower patients and families to be actively involved in their own health care and in the improvement of safety of health care.
4. Advocate urgent action on patient and family engagement, aligned with the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030, to be taken by all partners.