Canadian Patient Safety Week (CPSW) runs from October 25 to October 29, and this year’s theme is Who knows? Essential Care Partners do (#CPSW2021). CPSW is a national annual campaign started to inspire extraordinary improvement in patient safety and quality. This awareness week is for everyone involved in the delivery of healthcare as well as those receiving care, including healthcare professionals and future healthcare professionals, decision makers, clients, and their families. Read more about CPSW and this year’s theme here.

The Speak up for Safety tool

We’ve launched a Speak Up for Safety quick reference card to help guide staff, students and volunteers to address potential safety issues when they observe them, helping us to create a foundation for speaking up. If you see something, the tool encourages you to speak up by:
 

• using your head (stating facts/observations);
• using your heart (by expressing your feelings/concerns);
• and using your voice (to plan and act). 
   

In a just culture everyone speaks the same ‘safety’ language. When a just culture is in place, leaders and teams are comfortable discussing both positive behaviors and actions that aren’t in line with established safety policies or procedures. They are prepared to have difficult conversations and address issues head on, using shared language to call things out. We all have a responsibility to speak up to keep us ‘All safe, Always’.

Holland Bloorview is committed to building a culture of quality and safety across the hospital for all clients, families and staff. To further embed a culture of safety and advance our priorities established in No Boundaries, we have introduced Caring Safely, which unites our quality and safety initiatives across the hospital.