Every year on 17 September, the world comes together to mark World Patient Safety Day, highlighting the importance of making healthcare safer for all.

This year’s theme, “Patient safety from the start!” focuses on the critical importance of safe care for every newborn and child, reaffirming every child’s right to safe and quality healthcare.

Newborns and young children face unique challenges. Their rapid growth, evolving health needs, and reliance on adults to speak up on their behalf make them especially vulnerable if care is not adapted to their age, size, condition, and circumstances. For children from disadvantaged backgrounds, barriers such as limited access to care can make these risks even greater.

Research shows that hospitalised children are a particularly vulnerable patient group. Even minor errors or omissions can have significant, long-term impacts on their health and development. Children in intensive care units face the highest risks, particularly when sedation or medical devices are involved. Adverse events, defined as unintended harm resulting from or contributed to by medical care, not only affect the child but also bring suffering to families and healthcare professionals alike.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set out clear goals for this year’s campaign, aiming to:

• Raise global awareness of the safety risks in paediatric and newborn care across all health care settings.
• Mobilise governments, healthcare organisations, professional bodies, and civil society to implement sustainable strategies for safer care.
• Empower parents, carers, and children through education, awareness, and active participation in care.
• Advocate for strengthening research into patient safety in paediatric and newborn care.

The WHO also encourages healthcare workers worldwide to implement strategies across key safety areas, including safe childbirth and postnatal care, medication and diagnostic safety, immunisation safety, infection prevention, and early recognition of clinical deterioration.

At Northern Health, these values are at the heart of what we do every day. By working together with families, staff, and the broader health system, we are committed to making safe care the standard for every child, everywhere.