Patient safety: progress made, more needed

A patient safety report, published today by the European Commission, highlights how the Commission and EU countries are addressing the challenge of patient safety, progress made since 2009 and barriers to overcome to improve patient safety.

A patient safety package published on 19 June 2014 by the European Commission highlights how the Commission and EU countries are addressing the challenge of patient safety, progress made since 2009 and barriers to overcome to improve patient safety as foreseen in a Council Recommendation 2009/C 151/01 .

It consists of the following documents:

• The Commission's second implementation report
• Infograph “Patient Safety in the EU: 2014”
• Public consultation on patient safety and quality of care
• Eurobarometer survey testing citizens' perception of quality of care and patients' experience with healthcare.
• Key findings and recommendations on Reporting and learning systems for patient safety incidents across Europe . Report of the Patient Safety and Quality of Care Working Group of the European Commission
• Key findings and recommendations on Education and training in patient safety across Europe . Report of the Patient Safety and Quality of Care Working Group of the European Commission
• Press release

An estimated 8 - 12% of patients admitted to hospital in the EU suffer from adverse events whilst receiving healthcare, for example:

• healthcare-associated infections (Accounting for approximately 25% of adverse events)
• medication-related errors
• surgical errors
• medical device failures
• errors in diagnosis
• failure to act on the results of tests.

Much of the harm to patients is preventable, but the implementation of strategies to reduce harm varies widely across the EU.

By Treaty, the EU is expected to help its member countries coordinate their efforts to protect public health. The Commission is well placed to help them share best practice and has taken a number of steps to improve patient safety in Europe.

Patient safety package

• Patient safety package highlights how the Commission and EU countries are addressing the challenge of patient safety. This package contains the Commission’s Second Report on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections.

Legal tools

• Report on the implementation of the Council Recommendation (2012) - accompanied by a detailed analysis of countries' reports
• Council Recommendation on patient safety, including prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (2009) (see Notice no. 2009/C 151/01 in the Official Journal of the European Union)– based on a Commission proposal
• Commission Communication on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (2008)

EU Patient Safety and Quality of Care Expert Group

The Commission EU Patient Safety and Quality of Care Expert Group brings together representatives from all 28 EU countries, EFTA countries, international organisations and EU bodies. The Group assists in developing the EU patient safety and quality agenda.