This Sunday is World Patient Safety Day, a global movement to champion safer healthcare practices.

This year’s World Patient Safety Day theme, ‘Engaging patients for patient safety’, highlights the vital role patients and consumers play in shaping the safety and quality of our healthcare system.

Patient and consumer voices shape our practice, improve outcomes, and contribute to a positive safety culture. Working in partnership with patients, their families, carers and the wider community is critical to achieving a healthcare system that is efficient, effective and meets people’s needs.

This World Patient Safety Day, the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care (ACSQHC) is releasing a new Guide for consumers. This guide has been developed by patients and consumers, and provides valuable insights on strengthening partnerships between patients, consumers and health services.

Also view the Commission’s new Consumer Insights Video Series to hear directly from consumer representatives on their experiences working to improve health care.