WDHB to mark Patient Safety Week by renewing their commitment to patient safety

Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) staff will mark Patient Safety Week (5–11 November) by renewing their commitment to patient safety through a number of activities that focus on safety around medication.

WDHB quality coordinator Rachel Taylor says in preparation for Patient Safety Week, the WDHB has been running a six-month ‘medications back-to-basics campaign’ to remind staff about key points of safety when prescribing, dispensing and administering medications.

“This campaign will culminate during Patient Safety Week with daily quizzes for our staff, and a display of medication safety posters in the hospital’s main entrance and the entrance to the Community Mental Health and Addiction Service,” Ms Taylor says.

“We’re asking clinical staff to wear badges which invite patients to talk to them about their medications and raise any questions or concerns they have about the ones they are taking.

“It’s very important for patients and people in general to understand what medications they are taking, why they are taking them, that they are taking the right dose at the right time, and that they understand the side effects that their medication might cause.

“It’s also important people understand that when taking multiple medications they may find some combinations don’t work so we encourage patients to talk to Whanganui Hospital clinical staff and their GPs, if they have any concerns.”

Mrs Taylor says while WDHB clinical staff believe patient safety is an all-year event rather than one week, “we’re delighted to be part of the national effort to put patient safety under the spotlight”.