Who is running the project?
Patients for Patient Safety is an action area of the WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety. It aims to promote active patient involvement in the work of the Alliance and patient safety worldwide. There is active collaboration, through the World Alliance, with a wide range of patient, consumer and patient safety organizations.
An informal, consumer-led steering group is coordinating the Patients for Patient Safety Workshop arrangements and helping to initiate this strand of the Alliances work. The group is made up of the following people:
· Susan Sheridan Co-founder, Consumers Advancing Patient Safety, USA (Strand Lead)
· Margaret Murphy Council member of the Irish Society for Quality and Safety and Healthcare and patient surveyor for the Irish Health Services Accreditation Board hospital accreditation teams
· Martin Fletcher WHO Technical Adviser, World Alliance for Patient Safety, WHO, Switzerland
· Peter Mansell Director of Patient Experience and Public Involvement, National Patient Safety Agency, UK
· Jo Harkness Director of Policy and External Affairs, International Alliance of Patients Organizations, UK
· Martie Hatlie President, Partnership for Patient Safety, USA
· Garance Upham Peoples Health Movement, Disability and Economic Circles, Switzerland
· Rachel Heath Patients for Patient Safety Project Support Officer, UK
Independent, project support arrangements are provided through the offices of the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations in London.
How is Patients for Patient Safety funded?
The project is funded through WHO. The National Patient Safety Agency in the UK is funding the Project Support Officer, based in the offices of the International Alliance of Patients Organizations in London.
What is meant by Patient Safety?
Patient Safety refers to all aspects of health care that patients, world-wide, receive. This incorporates all the elements that may contribute to an adverse event occurring during the process of health care provision. Safety covers everything from harm caused as a result of a wrong clinical procedure or decision, to the side-effects of drugs, hazards posed by a medical device, sub-standard products, human shortcomings or system errors. These events may occur in hospital settings but also in any other health care provision setting, such as primary health care clinics, nursing homes, pharmacies and patients homes.
How do I express my general interest in the Patients for Patient Safety work?
If you have an interest in the work of Patients for Patient Safety but dont necessarily wish to be considered for selection as a global patient safety champion, attending the workshop being held in November, please visit our website, http://www.who.int/patientsafety/patients_for_patient/interest_form/en/index.html and complete the general Expression of Interest Form, or contact Rachel Heath, Patients for Patient Safety Project Support Officer on safety@patientsorganizations.org. We are creating a database of interested parties and plan to share information and materials as the work of Patients for Patient Safety grows. If you would like to keep informed of developments please do get in touch.
Patients for Patient Safety – Champions
Who are the Global Patient Champions?
The global patient champions are 21 patients and consumers who are committed to patient safety from every WHO region around the world. They each applied and were selected from 120 applications to attend the first Patients for Patient Safety Workshop in November 2005. Their collective voice and passion to make a change in health care is outlined in the London Declaration. It is a statement of their hopes and vision for the future. You can request a copy of the Declaration and contact details for your regional champion, by emailing safety@patientsorganizations.org or by visiting http://www.who.int/patientsafety/patients_for_patient/en/
Can I become a Patient Champion with Patients for Patient Safety? How can I get involved in the future of Patients for Patient Safety?
If you are actively involved as a patient or consumer in tackling issues of patient safety or are interested in becoming a patient champion please contact Rachel Heath, Patients for Patient Safety Project Support Officer at safety@patientsorganizations.org to express your interest. As the project grows, the international steering group and global champions envision a growing and developing network of patient champions around the world. Once you have expressed an interest in the project then you will receive information about opportunities as they arise. Please also keep an eye on the website at: http://www.who.int/patientsafety/patients_for_patient/en/
