World Patient Safety Day 2026 to put safer care in the global spotlight

Health and care organisations around the world will mark World Patient Safety Day on 17 September 2026, bringing renewed attention to the importance of preventing avoidable harm and delivering safe, high-quality care.

Led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the annual awareness day aims to increase public awareness and engagement, strengthen global understanding of patient safety and encourage action across healthcare systems.

Patient safety touches almost every part of health and care delivery, from medicines management and infection prevention to communication, safeguarding, clinical decision-making and the safe transfer of people between different services.

For professionals working across the NHS, independent healthcare and social care, the day provides an opportunity to reflect on how everyday systems and working practices can protect the people using services.

It also highlights the importance of creating a culture where staff feel able to speak up when something does not look right. Reporting incidents, near misses and concerns can help organisations identify weaknesses and make improvements before further harm occurs.

Communication is another crucial part of safe care. Information can pass between hospitals, GPs, pharmacies, community services, care homes and home care providers as a person moves through the health and care system. Ensuring important details are accurately recorded and shared can help reduce the risk of errors and gaps in care.

Patients, people receiving care and their families also have an important role. Listening to their experiences, involving them in decisions and taking concerns seriously can provide professionals with information that might otherwise be missed.

For health and social care providers, World Patient Safety Day offers an opportunity to refresh staff training, review incidents and lessons learned, celebrate improvements and encourage teams to consider what more can be done to reduce avoidable harm.

While policies and procedures provide the framework for safer services, patient safety is ultimately shaped by thousands of decisions and interactions taking place across health and care every day.

World Patient Safety Day takes place on 17 September 2026, calling on organisations, professionals, patients and communities around the world to work together to make care safer.

Find out more from the World Health Organization

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