Exploring the role of patients in promoting safety: policy to practice

That receiving healthcare involves potential and actual risks is widely acknowledged by the public, health professionals and politicians. Ensuring the delivery of safe and effective care is a fundamental component of healthcare policy and underpins many activities undertaken by health professionals on a daily basis. Alongside an increased understanding of health care and its potential dangers, the public has expectations of greater involvement in decisions about the treatments and care they receive. These expectations have arisen from social changes in the past few decades as well as being a consequence of government policy promoting public and patient involvement in health care. Despite the priority given to patient safety and patient involvement in policy development, there has been little debate about the feasibility of patients contributing to their own safety. This article reviews some policy initiatives and explores the potential role of patients in promoting safety and the implications for practice.