Carol Fancott, Director, Patient Safety, Equity & Engagement
Canadian Patient Safety Week (CPSW) 2024 has come to a close, and we are thrilled to have had so many of you—from coast to coast to coast—participate in this important campaign. Together, we put a spotlight on the work you do every day to create safety for all. This year, our focus was on broadening our understanding of healthcare harm—what it means, how it happens and who it affects.
We recognized that patient safety extends beyond preventing physical harm. It also involves supporting cultural and emotional well-being while addressing biases and discrimination that can impact care. All types of harm matter to those receiving and delivering care and CPSW 2024 inspired us all to learn and act to reduce harm in all its forms.
Hundreds of organizations across Canada held patient safety events, ordered materials from our online store such as posters and lanyard cards and showcased their commitment to broadening our collective understanding of harm to create safer care for all.
Additionally, there were over 3600 downloads of our resources, with the most popular being our activity card that helped teams start exploring, learning and acting together—key to understanding healthcare harm and improving patient safety. Our infographic (PDF 1.1MB) also garnered significant attention, sparking important conversations about safety.
We were excited to have over 2700 people participate in our webinar series, which examined healthcare harm from different perspectives. These discussions reinforced the importance of listening to those who have experienced harm and understanding its impacts on their lives. We explored the connections between racism, patient safety and harm and looked at what safety means in home and community care settings.
It's inspiring to see patient safety champions emerging across the country, driving meaningful change through small yet impactful actions. By asking key questions, engaging with patients, clients, residents, and peers, and actively promoting safer care environments, these individuals are embracing a curious approach to reduce harm in all its forms.
Although CPSW 2024 has ended, the momentum continues. Patient safety is a year-round commitment and every day offers opportunities to contribute to safer care. Our materials and resources—including the activity card for team discussions, our infographic, the Patient Safety Essentials e-learning module and the Rethinking Patient Safety Discussion Guide—remain available to support ongoing conversations. You can also still order free patient safety swag while supplies last!
Looking ahead, we have more exciting events planned. In just a few weeks, we’ll be hosting a webinar on courageous leadership and creating safer healthcare environments across the care continuum—don’t forget to sign up!
And be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on patient safety events and resources as we prepare for CPSW 2025. Thank you for everything you do to make care safer for all. We look forward to partnering with you again next year!
