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Patient Safety

Patient safety is the absence of preventable harm to a patient during the process of health care and reduction of risk of unnecessary harm associated with health care to an acceptable minimum.

The safety of patients receiving health care is a serious concern for the European Union. It is estimated that 8-12% of patients admitted to hospitals in the EU suffer from adverse events. Unsafe care not only has consequences for patients’ health and EU citizens’ trust in healthcare systems, but also a significant impact on our economy. Overall, the available evidence suggests that 15% of hospital expenditure and activity in OECD countries can be attributed to treating safety failures. This is likely to be a conservative figure.

Most of the adverse events that occur in healthcare settings (hospitals and community) are preventable. It is possible to improve patient safety in any healthcare setting by implementing innovative solutions. Health First Europe believes that patient safety should be a key goal of healthcare systems. EU Member States should protect patients from avoidable harm and prevention has to be at the core of national healthcare policies and strategies.

Since our inception in 2004, HFE has continuously campaigned for safer health care, particularly through our publication of recommendations and the collaborative partnership in the joint action on patient safety and the launch of the Declaration for Patient Safety under the Patronage of the Estonian Presidency of the European Council.

In order to ensure that patient and healthcare workforce safety remains in the limelight of the EU policy agenda, HFE has created the European Network for Safer Healthcare. It is an informal network for experts and associations firmly resolved to offer a constructive, vigilant and responsive 3rd party body to support European and national initiatives aimed at enshrining best practices in patient safety in the EU.

More about Patient Safety

The AMR Patient Group contributes to the European Commission's Call for Evidence on Antimicrobial Resistance
2022

In February 2022, the European Commission launched a Call for Evidence for their upcoming Recommendation to Member States for greater action on Antimicrobial Resistance. Here is our contribution.

A community-based survey of the general public’s knowledge, behaviour and awareness related to antimicrobial resistance
2021 || News

The European AMR Patient Group invites you to fill in the pan-European survey to assess the level of knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and health-associated infections (HAIs) among 5 European countries, namely Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the UK.

PRESS RELEASE: Health First Europe launches a trailblazing Insight Report on Better Screening and Secondary Prevention in Europe
2021 || News, Press release

For World Patient Safety Day, Health First Europe (HFE) today published a comprehensive Insight Report entitled The Compelling Case for Better Screening and Patient Safety in Europe: The Example of Five Common Diseases on five disease areas that affect millions of European citizens each year and how the European Union could and should do a better job for its citizens. The report focuses on breast cancer, type 2 Diabetes, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), heart failure and severe combined immune deficiencies (SCID).

EDITORIAL: European AMR Patient Group Scales up Education and Outreach on Antimicrobial Resistance
2021 || Editorial, News

Patient safety is an essential metric when it comes to building resilient public healthcare systems both at the European and global level. It is also indispensable in the provision of health care in all settings including hospitals and long-term care facilities.

EVENT SUMMARY: Increasing adherence to CAUTI guidelines: Recommendations from existing evidence
2021 || Event summary, News

The event and launch of the ENSH report on “INCREASING ADHERENCE TO CAUTI GUIDELINES: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EXISTING EVIDENCE’’ was held on Wednesday, 30 June 2021 via videoconference.

EVENT SUMMARY: Virtual roundtable – Preventing infections in the surgical care pathway to tackle antimicrobial resistance
2020 || Event summary

Read the event summary of our virtual roundtable entitled “Preventing infections in the surgical care pathway to tackle antimicrobial resistance”.

PRESS RELEASE: Launch of HFE Insight Report ”Identifying the gaps between evidence and practice in the prevention of surgical site infections”
2020 || Press release

Health First Europe today launches a new Insight Report titled ”Identifying the gaps between evidence and practice in the prevention of surgical site infections”

NEWS: Read HFE and Navarre (Spain) joint article on patient safety
2020 || Editorial, News

In the frame of the campaign for the Declaration for Patient Safety, Health First Europe collaborated with the Spanish region of Navarre to publish an article on the best practices for safety and quality of care at the regional level.

NEWS: Read our Joint Call on Patient Safety and HAI Prevention and Control
2019 || News

We call on the European Commission to adopt a broad and coherent pan-European Infection Management Strategy addressing the health, social, economic and environment determinants, which influences infection diseases and considers the intrinsic links between antimicrobial resistance, prevention of HAIs and sepsis.

NEWS: World patient safety day - the Tuscany region at the forefront of quality of care
2019 || News

In the frame of the campaign for the Declaration for Patient Safety, Health First Europe collaborated with the Centre for Clinical Risk Management and Patient Safety of the Tuscan Region to publish an article about best practices on safety and quality of care at regional level. 

EVENT SUMMARY: EU health stakeholders at the Gastein Forum call for a strong political commitment for safer care to tackle HAIs and AMR
2019 || Event summary

On 2nd October 2019, Health First Europe organised the “Data for safer care” workshop at the European Health Forum Gastein to explore the disruptive role of data in shaping effective patient safety strategies and develop effective healthcare-associated infections’ (HAIs) surveillance systems.

EVENT SUMMARY: ENSH Roundtable debate - Time to Act: #STOPSEPSISEU
2019 || Event summary

The 3nd roundtable debate of the European Network for Safer Healthcare was organised by Health First Europe in the European Parliament on 25 September 2019, with the support of MEP Simona Bonafe (EPP, Portugal) and MEP Lieve Wierinck (ALDE, Belgium),.

EDITORIAL: Sepsis, educational and best practice frontiers
2019 || Editorial, Members news

Sepsis is a clinical syndrome with a distinctive response of the body's defenses to life-threatening infections. This may result in organ dysfunction or failure (severe sepsis). Sepsis is strongly related with all the body organs or systemic diseases and to the quality of the best-practice in use, particularly critical  in surgical or  intervention techniques.

NEWS: Health First Europe and the Spanish Patients' Forum call the Spanish Minister to act on Patient Safety
2019 || News

On the World Patient Safety Day, Health First Europe and the Spanish Patients' Forum join hands to call the Spanish minister to act to foster patient safety. 

EDITORIAL: Lapse in transparency and access about patient safety information
2018 || Editorial

The latest data released from the ECDC estimates that about 33000 people die each year as a direct consequence of an infection due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics and that the burden of these infections is comparable to that of influenza, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.

EDITORIAL: Health care professionals stand together to foster patient safety
2018 || Editorial

On the occasion of the International Patient Safety Day (17th September 2018), Health First Europe, ESNO - European Specialist Nurses Organisations, COTEC - Council of Occupational Therapists for European Countries and EUROFEDOP - European Federation of Public Service Employees, jointly call Ministers of Health to step up and agree on a high level of understanding on patient safety standards to drive their national policies into a common path. 

EVENT SUMMARY: Ensuring patient safety in healthcare is a challenge for the EU
2017 || Event summary

On 5 December 2017, policymakers and health representatives met to discuss and assess the current situation of patient safety in Europe and how eHealth technology could reduce adverse events in all healthcare settings.

NEWS: HFE attends the meeting of the MEPs Interest Group European Patients’ Rights
2017 || News

On 3 May 2017, HFE attended the meeting of the MEPs Interest Group on European Patients’ Rights and Cross-border healthcare focused on “Patients’ Rights have no borders… As well as risks!”

EVENT SUMMARY: Tackling AMR and HAIs to improve patient safety
2016 || Event summary

On 17th November 2016, in conjunction with the World Antibiotic Awareness Week, policy makers and health stakeholders met within the framework of the EP Interest Group on Innovation on health and social care to discuss how to tackle the global threat of antimicrobial resistance to improve patient safety.

EVENT SUMMARY: 11 indicators to accelerate the implementation patient safety policies
2016 || Event summary

“Patient Safety needs to be integrated in the concept of quality of care” - Niek Klazinga OECD Health Division

EDITORIAL: Time to make progress on patient safety in Europe
2016 || Editorial

Editorial by MEP Piernicola Pedicini: As Member of the European Parliament and medical physicist, I think it is time we make real progress on patient safety. The EU is at a standstill when it comes to taking forward actions called for by the Parliament and the Council. Now it is time for action.

EDITORIAL: The safety of patients is at risk
2015 || Editorial

Editorial by HFE President John Bowis: After two years of debate, the Council is close to finalizing its’ position on the medical devices directive. The MDD, as it’s known to most, was proposed in the aftermath of a scandal where patients were harmed due to fraud and lack of oversight in the approval of silicone breast implants (PIP).

NEWS: Health First Europe attends the 9th European Patients’ Rights Day
2015 || News

On 12 May, HFE attended the 9th European Patients' Rights dedicated to sustainability of healthcare systems with a specific focus on the burned of chronic diseases. Organised by the Active Citizenship Network (ACN), the 9th edition of the European Patients' Rights Day represented a moment to reflect and discuss on the current state of the European Charter of Patients' rights launched in 2003 and to outline the future ACN actions particularly the establishment of a European Parliamentary interest group on European Patients' Rights and Cross-Border Healthcare.

EDITORIAL: Enough patience for patients
2015 || Editorial

We all know that the European Union's current demographics are requiring a serious debate about the need to transform traditional healthcare systems. As patients, many of us have been calling for changes – eHealth implementation, access to care in the community, greater focus and accessibility to preventive services – but fundamental change of healthcare delivery lags behind our desires as consumers of health services.  How much more patient should we be as patients? When will the focus of health policy shift to towards the patient and away from acute-only treatment?

EDITORIAL: The EU role in making technology accessible for patients
2014 || Editorial

When you need medical treatment, do you ever wonder why some products and services are available and others aren't? Perhaps your friend in another country is able to get a treatment for a similar ailment that you can't? Editorial by HFE President John Bowis 

EDITORIAL: Delivering positive health outcomes for citizens in 2014
2014 || Editorial

In 2014, Health First Europe will celebrate 10 years of working to ensure the well-being of European citizens by fostering access to the most innovative technologies to prevent, diagnose, monitor, manage, treat and cure diseases.  Our work this year will continue to build upon our belief that “health is wealth” by aiming for more sustainable healthcare in Europe, supporting patients to seek trusted information, protecting patients in health settings and making innovations in health systems more accessible to patients.

PRESS RELEASE: EU should support patients to become managers of their own health
2013 || Press release

To empower citizens to manage their own health, every European citizen should have access to a personalised health management plan including information on prevention and screening.

NEWS: Health First Europe attends 3rd Coordination Meeting of EU network on patient safety and quality of care
2013 || News

Health First Europe attended the 3rd Coordination Meeting of the EU network on patient safety and quality of care in Paris, France. The meeting brought together partners of the project to update members on each of the seven work packages and discuss upcoming tasks and deliverables for 2013.

EDITORIAL: Patients (and their safety) must be beneficiaries of EU health technology assessments
2013 || Editorial

Access for patients to medical technologies is a key issue in Europe right now, particularly due to discussions on changing rules of approval for medical devices as well as the concluding discussions in the European Parliament regarding patient safety in healthcare settings. 

NEWS: Health First Europe attends the European Parliament’s workshop on patient safety
2013 || News

On 30 May, Health First Europe attended the European Parliament’s workshop co-chaired by the Rapporteur and Shadow Rapporteurs on the Own-initiative report on ‘Patient Safety’. The draft report will be considered in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on 20 June and the workshop provided an ideal setting to explore the various challenges faced by the EU and Member States for protecting patients while receiving care.

PRESS RELEASE: Ensuring safety of medical devices must not unnecessarily limit patient access to life-saving technologies
2013 || Press release

Health First Europe considers that safety, transparency and access should form the basis of the new legislation on medical devices, but believes that the legislation in its current form would negatively impact the accessibility for patients to life-saving medical technologies.

NEWS: HFE attends 2nd Coordination Meeting of the European Network on Patient Safety and Quality of Care
2013 || News

Health First Europe continued its participation as a collaborating partner in the European Network for Patient Safety and Quality of Care during the second coordination of the network in Berlin, Germany.

EDITORIAL: Improving the lives of patients in 2013
2013 || Editorial

Health First Europe has always believed that by bringing together all health stakeholders, solutions for challenges in healthcare can be found that benefit all patients.  In 2012, we continued in our conviction that together we could better protect patients and improve access to treatment.

EVENT SUMMARY: Advancing patient safety in the EU - Reducing healthcare associated infections
2012 || Event summary

On 27 November, Health First Europe together with MEP Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden) organised a follow-up roundtable debate on Advancing patient safety in the EU: Reducing healthcare associated infections in the European Parliament from 14.00 - 16.30.  This event brought together high-level stakeholder to discuss the current state of infection control in Europe and the next steps for reducing HCAIs. 

NEWS: Health First Europe encouraged by progress on patient safety - Calls on EU to support greater standards to protect patients
2012 || News

Health First Europe welcomes the European Commission report published today outlining the progress achieved by Member States since the adoption of the Council Recommendations on patient safety in 2009.

NEWS: Health First Europe attends “Medical Devices: is the new legislation sufficient to protect patients?”
2012 || News

The Seminar brought together representatives from the EU institutions to give their perspectives on the proposal for a revised Medical Devices Directive published by the European Commission in September.

EVENT SUMMARY: EP Open Forum Debate endorses Health First Europe Road Map for the future of patient safety in Europe
2012 || Event summary

Health First Europe held an invitation-only roundtable event on 24 April in the European Parliament to debate the Future of Patient Safety in Europe. Under the Sponsorship of MEP Christofer Fjellner, (EPP, Sweden), the event was chaired by HFE Honorary President John Bowis.

EVENT SUMMARY: Health First Europe’s Road Map for the future of patient safety in Europe
2012 || Event summary

Opening Health First Europe’s Open Forum Debate on Patient Safety, Patron of the Health First Europe Task Force on Patient Safety and HFE MEP Supporter Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden) began by stating, “We can do more to protect patients.”

NEWS: Health First Europe urges EU policymakers to do more to protect patients
2012 || News

EU policymakers should strengthen the standards for patient safety in Member States, adopt measurable targets on patient safety, and develop a European strategy to combat the incidence of HAIs, according to Health First Europe's Recommendations on Patient Safety launched today.

NEWS: Patient Safety and biological medicines: what matters?
2011 || News

On 8 November, Health First Europe attended the lunch debate in the European Parliament entitled "Patient Safety and biological medicines: what matters?" The event was organised by the Parliament Magazine and Novo Nordisk, in association with EuropaBio.

NEWS: MEP Christofer Fjellner and Health First Europe launch Task Force on Patient Safety
2011 || News

7 September 2011 – Health First Europe together with Task Force Patron MEP Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden), today launched the Task Force on Patient Safety to demand more stringent recommendations for Member States with regards to the safety of patients.

EDITORIAL: The International Alliance of Patients' Organizations (IAPO) sets up Non Communicable Diseases and Patient Safety as global health strategies
2011 || Editorial

In the run up to the United Nations (UN) “High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases” also known as the UN Summit on NCDs the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) has been carrying out a number of activities to ensure that there is a strong patient voice in the development of strategies to fight NCDs.

EDITORIAL: Honorary President of HFE, John Bowis, highlights effective solutions to prevent HAIs – They're out there!
2011 || Editorial

Though we live in countries with well-funded and advanced healthcare settings, we all know that receiving medical treatment inevitably carries risk with it. However, less is known about the procedures in place to minimise the risk of adverse events. Should I be scared to enter a healthcare setting? How do I know if the hospital where I am treated has a procedure in place to minimise risk so that it is not complicated by an infection?

NEWS: HFE attends 5th Annual Patients’ Rights Day: Putting citizens at the centre of EU policy
2011 || News

On the occasion of the 5th Annual European Patients’ Rights Day, the European Economic and Social Committee together with the Active Citizenship Network organised a conference to discuss “Putting Citizens at the Centre of EU Health Policy.” Attended by a broad array of patients’ organisations, the conference aimed to emphasise the outcomes of a project undertaken by Active Citizenship Network members to determine how the rights of patients within the European Union are respected. The report suggests that the rights of patients – as outlined by the European Charter of Patients’ Rights – are not being fully respected and that much work still needs to be done to ensure patient empowerment so that all citizens understand how to take full advantage of their rights as patients.

NEWS: Injury prevention top health priority under the Hungarian Presidency
2011 || News

The Hungarian Presidency took over the rotating presidency of the European Union from Belgium on 1st January this year. In terms of health priorities, the Hungarian Presidency’s overarching theme will focus on “Patient and Professional Pathways in Europe”.

EVENT SUMMARY - HFE reception at the European Parliament: “EU legislation to reduce injuries for healthcare workers”
2010 || Event summary

On 23 March 2010, Health First Europe (HFE) celebrated the adoption by the EPSCO Council of the Directive implementing the Framework Agreement on the prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector.

NEWS: HFE welcomes Directive on prevention from sharp injuries
2010 || News

Health First Europe (HFE) welcomes the adoption, at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), of the Council Directive implementing the Framework Agreement on the prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare.

EDITORIAL: Europe gets serious about minimizing needlestick injuries
2010 || Editorial

New legislation was recently passed by the EU to protect Europe’s healthcare workers from potentially fatal blood-borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. John Bowis, Health First Europe (HFE) Honorary President, comments on the new directive and its significance to paramedic practice.

NEWS: Information to patients and for consumers will be Health Commissioner Priorities
2010 || News

The European Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy, the Maltese John Dalli faced a public hearing on Thursday 14th January by the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) in association with the EP Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committ

EVENT SUMMARY: Next Steps on Patient Safety in the EU: Eradicating Health Care Associated Infections in the 21st Century
2009 || Event summary

Health First Europe’s roundtable in the European Parliament was co-hosted by MEPs Liz Lynne (ALDE, UK) and Amalia Sartori (EPP, Italy) and focused on the significant burden of Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs) on Europe’s healthcare systems. The event highlighted how European healthcare systems are in crisis, requiring urgent and concrete EU action.

EXHIBITION: HFE to raise awareness on quality and safety at an exhibition in the European Parliament
2009 || News

Throughout the week of 5-9 January 2009, Health First Europe (HFE) is holding an exhibition in the European Parliament, in Brussels, under the patronage of MEP Elizabeth Lynne, with the aim of raising awareness on the quality and safety of patients and health care workers in Europe.

NEWS: HFE MEP supporter Liz Lynne calls for better protection from needlestick injuries and HAIs
2008 || News

The European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs called for better protection of healthcare workers against needlestick and medical sharp injuries as well as better protection of patients and healthcare workers from healthcare-associated infections.

NEWS: HFE responds to the European Commission's Consultation on Patient Safety
2008 || News

HFE welcomes the European Commission's goal of increasing patient safety in the EU by consulting health stakeholders and civil society. HFE is now looking forward to the upcoming European Commission Communications on Patient Safety and on Healthcare Associated Infections, which are expected towards the end of 2008.

NEWS: HFE response to the European Commission's consultation on healthcare-associated infections
2006 || News

On 20 January 2006, Health First Europe submitted its response to the European Commission's consultation on healthcare related infections (HAIs)

NEWS: World AIDS day – Europe’s healthcare workers at risk
2004 || News

HFE held a special event in the European Parliament to raise awareness amongst decision makers and the public about the risks of sharps’ injuries to healthcare workers and the risk of infection with HIV, Hepatitis or other fatal infections.

NEWS: On the eve of the HIV/AIDS conference in Vilnius - Health First Europe demands more action from the EU to protect healthcare workers from sharps’ injuries!
2004 || News

More than 20 dangerous blood-borne pathogens are transmitted by contaminated needles including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and of course HIV. These injuries are preventable!

NEWS: Health Council Conclusions on Patient Mobility - EU focus on patient mobility comes too late for many
2004 || News

HFE welcomes the conclusions on patient mobility adopted in Luxembourg by European Union Health Ministers, but urges the EU to further focus on encouraging and simplifying patient access to modern, efficient, innovative and reliable medical technology and healthcare.

Improving patient safety in oncology: A call for stronger EU action
2023

The European Network for Safer Healthcare is glad to invite you to a Parliament roundtable debate entitled 'Strengthening health care systems through better patient safety in the fight against cancer: A call for stronger EU action'.

EVENT - Virtual Roundtable Event on Patient Safety Best Practices across Europe
2020

The purpose of the debate is to discuss the current landscape surrounding patient safety in Europe and showcase the patient safety success stories from across Europe’s regions and local governments.

EVENT: Roundtable debate - Time to act: #STOPSEPSISEU
2019

The roundtable debate will explore new steps to better manage Sepsis and the best practices on Sepsis. Thanks to MEP Simona Bonafé (S&D, Italy) to kindly host the debate. Stakeholders will meet to discuss policy actions to fight sepsis across Europe.

EVENT: HFE workshop at Gastein Forum - Digital solutions & surveillance systems for patient safety
2019

The workshop on Digital solutions & surveillance systems for patient safety will cover the potential of surveillance networks and monitoring mechanisms.

EVENT: HFE Roundtable on Engaging Patients in the Digital Revolution: A Call to Build Smarter and Safer Healthcare Systems
2017

Under the patronage of the Estonian Presidency of the European Union, Health First Europe and City-Labs are pleased to invite you to join us for the Roundtable on Engaging Patients in the Digital Revolution: A Call to Build Smarter and Safer Healthcare Systems.

EVENT: Innovative Health Systems Reform - Tackling AMR and HAIs to improve patient safety
2016

AMR is a growing global threat and a significant societal and economic challenge. The cost of inaction is projected to result in 10 million deaths globally per year and a cumulative loss of over EUR 88 trillion to the world economy by 2050.

EVENT: Improving patients’ rights in the age of the Cross Border Healthcare Directive
2016

The project coordinates citizen involvement with the public authorities on national and European level in 9 European countries in order to increase the impact of citizen initiatives on the policymaking process in the European Union.

EVENT: Advancing patient safety in the EU - Reducing HAIs
2012

On 27 November, Health First Europe together with MEP Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden) will organise a follow-up roundtable debate on Advancing patient safety in the EU: Reducing healthcare associated infections.

EVENT: Open Forum Debate - Health First Europe’s Road Map for the future of patient safety in Europe
2012

Health First Europe held an invitation-only roundtable event on 24 April in the European Parliament from 10.00-12.30 to debate the Future of Patient Safety in Europe.

EVENT: HFE reception on EU legislation to reduce injuries for healthcare workers
2010

HFE has been calling for the introduction of pan-European binding measures for the protection of both healthcare workers and patients from needlestick and other medical sharps injuries.

EVENT: Next Steps on Patient Safety in the EU: Eradicating Health Care Associated Infections in the 21st Century
2009

HFE’s roundtable in the European Parliament was co-hosted by MEPs Liz Lynne (ALDE, UK) and Amalia Sartori (EPP, Italy) and focused on the significant burden of Healthcare-associated Infections on Europe’s healthcare systems.

EVENT: Healthcare-Associated Infection Awareness Day
2007

MEPs and Health First Europe will host an event in the European Parliament which highlights the need for immediate and decisive EU action to help reduce the 50,000 fatalities caused by healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) in Europe each year.

PUBLICATION: New Insight Report on The Compelling Case for Better Screening and Secondary Prevention in Europe
2021

Health First Europe is delighted to announce the launch of its newest report “The Compelling Case for Better Screening and Patient Safety in Europe: The Example of Five Common Diseases”.

REPORT: Pathways for fostering Patient Safety across Europe
2020

HFE launched its new report on patient safety! This report summarises the main takeaways from a virtual roundtable discussion on patient safety best practices which took place digitally on 8 September 2020.

INSIGHT REPORT: Identifying the gaps between evidence and practice in the prevention of SSIs
2020

Health First Europe new Insight Report on infection prevention showing a striking gaps between evidence-based measures to prevent Surgical Site Infections and medical practices in European hospitals.

PUBLICATION: Read our Joint Call on Patient Safety and HAI Prevention and Control
2019 || News

We call on the European Commission to adopt a broad and coherent pan-European Infection Management Strategy addressing the health, social, economic and environment determinants, which influences infection diseases and considers the intrinsic links between antimicrobial resistance, prevention of HAIs and sepsis.

REPORT: Patient Safety in Europe - Measuring progress for better and safer healthcare for all
2018

To assess the implementation of patient safety policies across Europe, Health First Europe carried out an in-depth analysis in 7 EU Member States, namely Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Spain.

PUBLICATION: Declaration for Patient Safety
2017

The Declaration for Patient Safety aims to call upon health authorities, policymakers, healthcare professionals, providers and patients to join hands to prevent unnecessary harms in healthcare by promoting safer health systems and high-quality standards on patient safety.

PUBLICATION: White Paper on rapid diagnostic technologies to tackle AMR
2017

The White Paper aims to be an informative tool for policymakers and healthcare stakeholders to understand and raise awareness on the potential of rapid diagnostic innovations to support the global fight against antimicrobial resistance.

PUBLICATION: HFE Recommendations on tackling AMR and HAIs to improve patient safety
2016

AMR is a growing global threat and a significant societal and economic challenge. The cost of inaction is projected to result in 10 million deaths globally per year and a cumulative loss of over EUR 88 trillion to the world economy by 2050.

PUBLICATION: HFE indicators to measure patient safety progress in Europe
2016

HFE developed 11 policy indicators to guide the debate on how to achieve better standards regarding patient safety, antimicrobial resistance and healthcare associated infections.

PUBLICATION: Health First Europe calls on the EU Institutions to Champion Patient Safety
2012

Health First Europe believes that it is imperative that the European Union institutions support Member States to implement minimum standards for patient safety, set improvement targets and develop a European strategy to prevent healthcare-associated infections.

PUBLICATION: Recommendations on Patient Safety including the Prevention and Control of Healthcare-Associated Infections
2012

HFE calls upon the European Commission, Member States and the European Parliament to champion patient safety by strengthening the Council Recommendations of 2009 on patient safety.

PUBLICATION: HFE Recommendations on Healthcare-Associated Infections
2007

HFE presented its recommendations to deal with HAIs to encourage the Commission and Member States to urgently adopt an effective strategy encompassing appropriate measures to significantly reduce this burden across Europe.