Objective
The main objective of the WP was to develop a systematic overview of activities related to patient safety in EU countries. This information would be made accessible through web based communication. The WP concerns activities related to the creation of a systematic, easily accessible, knowledge repository related to legislation, regulation and actions in EU states directed towards improvement of patient safety.
Results to be achieved
Develop a web based knowledge resource on patient safety activities and practices;
Publish an overview report of activities and practices in EU countries; and
Construct a 'best practice' compendium (web-based).
The data is available in summarized form in the attached final report, with recommendations, and all data is loaded onto the website www.simpatie.org where it can be searched by attributes or by using a search engine. In general terms, it is felt that the brief has been met and to some degree, exceeded. Responses from 20 of the then 25 EU member states were specified as a criterion in the original agreement. Data was in fact obtained from 23 member states (England and Wales in the United Kingdom only – see note p.5, main report). In relation to the three areas specified within the description of the knowledge repository, above, the mapping concentrated least on legislation and most on actions, based on the premise that data on legislation is already in the public domain, data on regulation less so and data on actions least so. Hence the focus was on collecting data which hitherto was least available to interested parties such as policy makers, civil servants, professionals and the public.
A note on legislation
Legislation was not dealt with by a specific question in the final version of the questionnaire, the development of which is described below. However, we have sufficient data to provide a brief, although not necessarily complete, summary. The report for WHO (Europe) on national quality systems by Charles Shaw and Isuf Kalo (2002) assisted in this regard.
As far as formal legislation on health quality is concerned, current data indicates that Denmark has unique although fairly recent legislation on Patient Safety (June 2003) but a few other countries have specific legislation on health-
care quality. Czech Republic (resolution N458/2000), Lithuania (Law on patients rights & compensation for damage to health 1996), Netherlands (Individual Health Care Professions Act 1997), and Sweden (Health & Medical Services Act 1997) have what appear to be legislation directed at a comprehensive national approach to health quality, while Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain and England and Wales have legislation but perhaps with a less comprehensive scope.
Work package deliveries
- A web based resource ('mapping Europe');
- An overview report;
- A web based best practice compendium (‘best practices’) involving examples from 18 out of 25 countries; and
- A hard copy version 'Good Practice Compendium' containing 61 examples listed by country.
