Healthcare personnel across the Territory will learn how to be more influential partners in promoting patient safety when the BVI Health Services Authority observes World Patient Safety Day activities.

Director of Quality, Ms. Yvonne Morgan said the objective of the observance on September 17 is to raise awareness for the need to establish patient safety as a global health priority and to bring stakeholders together in an effort to reduce the unintended harm caused by healthcare.

Ms. Morgan stated that patient safety can be increased by healthcare professionals engaging patients as partners in their care, working together on health teams to promote patient safety, ensuring continuous professional development to improve skills and knowledge and by creating an open and transparent safety culture in health care settings.

The director said the Quality Policy at the BVI Health Services Authority is ‘Safe, Quality Care and Service, every Client every time through Continual Improvement’ and with the BVIHSA’s Care Experience ensuring that clients and patients are free from harm. She added, “We are developing a number of plans and programmes as well as updating existing policies and procedures to ensure that we continue to provide optimum client centered care to our patients.”

Ms. Morgan further stated that patients should also be an active participant in their health care. “We encourage patients to speak up and ask questions of health care staff who are involved in their care. Safe health starts with communication, speak up because no patient should be harmed in health care.”

World Patient Safety Day will be observed by 194 countries around the world under the theme “Patient Safety- a Global Priority.”

The BVI Health Services Authority is committed to delivering excellent, compassionate, client centered healthcare across the Territory.