Patient and client safety strategy to strengthen a cohesive healthcare and social welfare culture
Patient safety strategy has been revised into a new patient and client safety strategy. This strategy will help to develop the Finnish healthcare and social welfare towards a cohesive safety culture. The objective is that the treatment, care and services provided to people promote their physical, mental and social wellbeing and cause as little harm as possible.
The strategy serves healthcare and social welfare organisers and providers, personnel, patients, clients and their family members in the implementation of safe and effective care.
Everyone has an opportunity to influence, make choices and take responsibility for patient and client safety
Promoting patient and client safety and quality is part of the responsibility to organise healthcare and social welfare services. Securing patient and client safety in practice is part of the responsibility of service providers. Even though healthcare and social welfare personnel are professional and committed and their activities are regulated, patient safety incidents can only be avoided with comprehensive quality and safety management. Prevention of incidents that cause human suffering also reduces costs.
The objective of the strategy is that even patients and clients themselves and their families promote patient and client safety actively. Everyone gets opportunities to influence, make choices and take responsibility for patient and client safety.
New structures harmonise the practices promoting safety
The health, social services and regional government reform creates new opportunities to strengthen safety culture and unify practices that promote safety and to improve patient and client safety and quality. However, promoting patient and client safety does not depend on structures. It is work that needs to be done under any circumstances.
The Government issued a government resolution on a patient and client safety strategy on Wednesday, 28 June 2017. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will set up an implementation and monitoring group to support the strategy.
Inquiries
Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki, Director, tel. +358 295 63382
Tuija Kumpulainen, Ministerial Counsellor for Health/Medical Affairs, tel. +358 295 63280
Timo Keistinen, Ministerial Counsellor for Health/Medical Affairs, tel. +358 295 63385
Satu Karppanen, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 63549
Attachment
Patient and client safety strategy (government resolution) (in Finnish)
Video interview on You Tube: How can doctors, nurses and patients promote patient safety?