[Knowledge of patient safety is important for physicians - Swedish national competency goals for patient safety]

High-quality and safe care is a core principle of healthcare. Since 2020, a Swedish national action plan has outlined four conditions for safer care, one of them is adequate knowledge and competence. In 2024, national competency goals for patient safety were introduced in Sweden, developed by the National Board of Health and Welfare in cooperation with patient safety academics. Covering 15 areas of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, they define what patient safety entails. The goals target leaders, physicians, nurses, and other professionals in healthcare. Though implementation is demanding, raising competence is essential to improve safety. Physicians play a key role for patient safety by identifying risks, preventing harm, and managing adverse events. As clinical experts and leaders, they must understand and apply patient safety principles. To strengthen this, continuous education in patient safety is needed in both undergraduate training and professional practice. The national competency goals are aiming to support this.