Patient safety is our highest priority

摘要

Over the past couple of years, the international focus on patient safety has risen significantly. There has been a marked shift towards explicit consideration of patient safety issues, alongside the more familiar performance targets relating to access and costs.Patient safety features heavily in many key policy documents, and a range of national, regional and local safety initiatives is in evidence. Patient experiences are widely used by leading lights in the field to illustrate the case for change and to stimulate engagement in improvement efforts.This is a major step forward and is very much to be welcomed. This change has enabled many clinical teams to review and improve key aspects of their care or treatment and has supported organizations in reviewing the way that patient safety is promoted and overseen.