UCH commemorates World Patient Safety Day, emphasises hearing patient voice

THE University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, in commemoration of World Patient Safety Day, has reiterated its commitment to its patients’ safety and the elevation of their voices to enhance healthcare safety globally.

UCH’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, said the day is important because evidence has shown that when patients are treated as partners in their care, significant gains are made in safety, patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

Speaking through Professor Abiola Okunlola, he said it is imperative to influence stakeholders, including patients, families, policymakers, healthcare leaders, health workers, and patient organisations to work collaboratively towards co-designing healthcare policies and safety interventions that truly reflect the needs and preferences of patients.

Professor Otegbayo said patients becoming active members of the healthcare team will ensure that they can contribute to the safety of their care and that of the healthcare system as a whole.

While applauding healthcare professionals for raising awareness on the issues of patient safety, he advocated for effective and innovative strategies to also improve medication practices in healthcare, through panel discussions, clinic awareness and patient safety health talks.

Dr Tomi Owopetu, in an overview of World Patient Safety Day, declared that the voice of patients and members of the public globally in improving health is largely untapped.

She said elevating the voices of patients will help to make a paradigm shift in clinical practice from asking questions such as ‘what is the matter’, ‘why are you in the hospital’, or ‘what are your symptoms’ to what is actually important to the patient.

Dr Femi Afolabi, a surgeon, said in a panel discussion on ‘Engaging Patients for Patient Safety,’ that health workers should all become patient advocates, build their communication skills, empathise with patients and not just gloss over their patients’ complaints while the public knows that an assault on a health worker is a criminal offence.

In her remark, Dr Pauline Guobadia stated that patients make a hospital exist, and so healthcare workers must always come to the level of patients and find time to listen to them in a bid to minimise mental, physical and emotional harm to patients.

Mrs Ganiyat Animasahun, in her submission, said health workers, as advocates, must at all times protect their patients from healthcare-associated harms, as this could result in a longer stay in the hospital and higher healthcare costs.