MEP urges action on EU patient safety

Every “relevant” voice should be heard at EU level when attempting to improve patient safety levels, according to German centre right deputy Thomas Ulmer.

Ulmer in an address to a seminar in Brussels on Wednesday asaid that the EU is at the “forefront” of attempts to increase public awareness of patient safety issues.

He said possible means of achieving this could include information campaigns or greater engagement with health care professionals.

“Patients should have full information to hand, simply and quickly in case of need,” he said.

Ulmer was a keynote speaker at the event organised by Eucomed, the medical technology umbrella group and the International alliance of patients’ organisations which was held to discuss the European commission’s patient safety consultation and its potential impact on patients.

It is estimated that as many as ten per cent of hospital admissions involve some kind of injury, infection or physical harm to patients.

With this in mind, the commission launched a consultation in March aimed at member states exchanging and sharing information on this issue.

Ulmer said, “Every relevant voice should be heard at EU and member state level when attempting to improve patient safety level when attempting to improve safety levels and that includes patients, healthcare professional and industry.

“Patients should be informed about choices of best available technologies for treatment and should especially give their informed consent if products that have been previously been used on other patients are part of the therapy.”

John Wilkinson, Eucomed’s chief executive, said, “Patients and healthcare workers alike are under a serious, pan European threat by healthcare associated infections (HCAIs).

“These costs can be reduced by using simple and innovative medical device technologies that are designed and proved to reduce HCAIs. Policymakers should prioritise the use of modern medical technology that incorporates these design features to reduce risks for both patients and health care staff.”

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