The World Health Organisation's Global Patient Safety Action Plan envisions a future where no patient suffers harm during hospitalisation by the year 2030. A crucial element in achieving this objective is the establishment of hospital settings where discussions about errors are both easy and accepted among healthcare professionals.

Medical errors represent significant challenges within healthcare systems, and Dr Sabelile Tenza from the North-West University (NWU) advocates for environments that encourage the reporting of such errors.

Dr Tenza, a public health specialist from the NWU’s School of Nursing Science and a National Research Foundation-funded researcher, recently presented her research findings at the International Conference on Public Health (ICOPH) that was held in Bangkok, Thailand.

She shared her findings on healthcare providers' perspectives regarding the implementation of national guidelines for patient safety incident reporting in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district in the North West province.

The paper she presented at the ICOPH conference is part of a broader study titled "The State of Patient Safety in North West Province," which encompasses three components: patient safety culture, incident reporting and teamwork.

Utilising her expertise in policy analysis, Dr Tenza's presentation highlighted that the successful implementation of nationwide policy guidelines necessitates clear content, defined roles for stakeholders, and a supportive environment. Her research also emphasises the importance of senior role models in fostering a culture of incident reporting, and the necessity for a non-punitive atmosphere where incidents can be disclosed.

She strongly advocates for urgent improvements in patient safety culture within hospitals and stresses the need to empower frontline healthcare providers to discuss errors openly.

Dr Sabelile Tenza recently presented her research findings at the International Conference on Public Health held in Bangkok, Thailand.