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The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD; the Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler TD; the Minister for Older People, Kieran O’Donnell TD; and the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, today marked World Patient Safety Day and welcomed Ireland’s hosting of a global patient safety conference later this month.

Speaking on World Patient Safety Day, Minister Carroll MacNeill said:

“World Patient Safety Day reminds us of our shared commitment to putting patients at the centre of care. It reminds us to continue strengthening quality, safety and transparency across our health service.

“Entering hospital can be one of the most vulnerable times in a patient’s life. While there is always more work to do, I am encouraged by the dedication of staff, patients and advocates across our health service to driving continued improvements in patient safety.

“Earlier this week, I launched Ireland’s first Sepsis Strategy with the HSE and patient advocates. This strategy demonstrates what can be achieved when patients, advocates and healthcare professionals work together to make care safer and improve outcomes across the health service.”

“In mental health services, safety begins with listening to people and responding to their needs at the right time. Prevention, early intervention and timely access to community-based services can make a lasting difference. World Patient Safety Day reinforces the importance of using the experiences of people with lived and living experience to shape compassionate care throughout each person’s recovery journey.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) marks World Patient Safety Day annually on 17 September 2026. This year’s theme is ‘Safe care for noncommunicable diseases’.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are long term conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, that can affect people of all ages and often require ongoing care throughout life.

Minister Murnane O’Connor said:

“People living with noncommunicable diseases often make important decisions about their care every day. Clear health information, meaningful engagement and shared decision-making can help them participate with confidence. By designing services around patients’ lived experiences, we can reduce risk, improve quality and support better health and wellbeing.”

“For many older people, living with a noncommunicable disease means managing care and support over a long period. Patient safety must therefore extend beyond individual appointments and support continuity of care across services.

“My priority is to advance a health and social care model that enables older people to live full, independent lives in their own communities for as long as possible. Achieving this requires coordinated services and the right wraparound supports to meet people’s changing needs.”

Chief Nursing Officer, Rachel Kenna said:

“This year, the WHO’s patient safety focus is on safe care for noncommunicable diseases. One of its key messages is that people living with chronic diseases may face a higher risk of unintended harm because they often have more frequent contact with health services. Strong patient safety systems are essential to reduce this risk across healthcare services and to support safe working environments for healthcare staff.

“These systems include clear guidelines and standards for clinical care, listening to patients’ experiences, using data to support learning and improvement, and taking an open and compassionate approach when incidents occur.”

“Our international partnerships are important to driving continuous learning and improvement, so we are delighted to host this year’s ISQua global patient safety conference. This year’s ISQua conference theme - ‘Thriving Through Compassion and Community: Sharing Stories for the Future of Health Systems’ - is particularly apt given the many challenges that face health services worldwide, and highlights the need for policymakers, healthcare staff and patients to work together to drive innovations and solutions to make care as safe as possible.”

World Patient Safety Dayis part of a World Health Organization (WHO) global campaign to raise awareness and ensure that patient safety is established as a global health priority. It was established in 2019 to enhance global understanding of patient safety, increase public engagement in the safety of healthcare and promote global actions to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm.

The theme of World Patient Safety Day 2026 is ‘Safe Care for noncommunicable diseases’ with a slogan ‘Safe Care for Life!’ It calls for multisectoral and multi-stakeholder action to ensure that no one is harmed while receiving care for NCDs.

Addressing NCDs is a global priority, reflected in theUnited Nations political declaration on NCDs and mental health, which calls for strengthened prevention and long-term management of NCDs. Achieving these commitments requires access to safe and quality care.

Globally, one in 10 patients is harmed during health care, with around half of this harm being considered preventable. People living with NCDs are particularly vulnerable to harm due to the long-term nature of their conditions, ongoing treatment needs and frequent interactions with health systems. This repeated exposure increases the likelihood of harm over time. Many people also live with multiple chronic conditions, further increasing the risk of harm.

One of the key policy documents underpinning the ethos of World Patient Safety Day is theWHO’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2019-2030. This framework for action sets out the strategic direction towards eliminating avoidable harm in healthcare over the next 10-years. Ireland contributes to the WHO’s ongoing survey of countries’ progress in implementing the plan in their local contexts.

From 27 to 30 September 2026 Ireland will welcome healthcare professionals and experts around the world for theISQua 2026 International Conference. The conference is expected to bring together more than 1,400 people from over 80 countries. The ISQua Conference provides an important opportunity to bring together experts from across the world to share their learnings and strengthen our commitment to quality, safety and person-centred care.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Thriving Through Compassion and Community: Sharing Stories for the Future of Health Systems.”

The conference will focus on healthcare quality and patient safety and will provide an opportunity for people working across the health sector to share their experiences, ideas and learning.

The event is being hosted in partnership with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Global State of Patient Safety 2025report

Ireland increased its ranking from seventh to fourth in the world in the Imperial College London,Global State of Patient Safety 2025report published earlier this year.