Programmes that allow pharmacists to access patients’ clinical information, non-punitive national systems for the reporting, monitoring, analysing and disseminating safety events, safety indicators and benchmarks, and national standards and guidelines, are key recommendations for improving patient safety in a new Statement of Policy released by FIP today.

“Patient safety has become a global emergency. Medication safety is a large component of this and encompasses preventing medication errors and medication-related harm, particularly in relation to high-risk medications and polypharmacy, and optimising safe medication use at each stage of a patient’s medication-use journey, notably at the transitions of care. The role of pharmacists and pharmacy teams in patient safety requires recognition and support by healthcare organisations and regulatory bodies,” said Parisa Aslani, FIP Vice President and professor in medicines use optimisation at The University of Sydney, Australia.