Declaration for Patient Safety

About the Declaration

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that patient harm is the 14th leading cause of the global disease burden, equivalent to illnesses such as tuberculosis and malaria. In some European countries, the burden of patient harm is comparable to that of chronic diseases (e.g. multiple sclerosis and some types of cancer). Statistical projections show that strategies to reduce the rate of adverse events in the European Union alone would lead to the prevention of more than 750,000 harm-inflicting medical errors per year, leading in turn to over 3.2 million fewer days of hospitalisation, 260,000 fewer incidents of permanent disability, and 95,000 fewer deaths per year.

The Declaration for Patient Safety calls upon health authorities, policymakers, healthcare professionals, providers and patients to join hands to prevent unnecessary harm in healthcare by promoting safer health systems and higher quality standards for patient safety across Europe.

Sign the Declaration for the right to safe healthcare

The Declaration’s 10 calls for action target policy shifts and actions to promote patient safety in the EU and its 28 member countries.

Ministers of Health of the European Union must agree on a high level of understanding of patient safety practices and standards to steer their national policies towards accepted best practices.

Now translation available in French – German – Italian – Spanish