WHO: Patient safety rights charter (18 April 2024)

Summary

The Patient safety rights charter is a key resource intended to support the implementation of the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030: Towards eliminating avoidable harm in health care. The Charter aims to outline patients’ rights in the context of safety and promotes the upholding of these rights, as established by international human rights standards, for everyone, everywhere, at all times.

Content

With approximately one in every 10 patients being harmed in healthcare settings, and more than three million deaths occurring annually due to unsafe care globally, the Charter aims to outline patients’ rights in the context of safety, especially given that over 50% of this harm is preventable.

It promotes the upholding of patient safety rights, as established by international human rights standards, for everyone, everywhere, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or race, language, religion, disability, socioeconomic status or any other status. The Charter will support stakeholders in formulating policies and legislation, and in developing mechanisms to ensure that patients’ rights to safe care are respected, protected and fulfilled.

The 10 fundamental patient safety rights outlined in the Charter are the right to: 

1. Timely, effective and appropriate care.
2. Safe health care processes and practices.
3. Qualified and competent health workers.
4. Safe medical products and their safe and rational use.
5. Safe and secure health care facilities.
6. Dignity, respect, non-discrimination, privacy and confidentiality.
7. Information, education and supported decision making.
8. Access medical records.
9. To be heard and fair resolution.
10. Patient and family engagement.