His Excellency the Minister of Health Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, has extended thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz (May Allah protect him) HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, and HRH the Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz over support shown by the cabinet for the Comprehensive National Safety Enhancement Program, during its meeting held on Monday April 4, 2016 (Corresponding to Jumada II 26, 1437H).
He pointed out that the national program would radically increase the levels of safety in the Kingdom's health facilities and ensure that they meet all safety requirements, specifications and prescribed procedures. The minister said that the program would cover all public and private health facilities.
He added that the program, in its two parts (the patient safety and facility safety), has the necessary elements of success. The implementation of the program would maintain patient safety and would control medical errors, the minister added, elaborating the program includes the establishment of a Saudi center for patients' safety which would be responsible for developing rules and regulations that guarantee protection against medical errors and monitor implementation.
The center would create a local system for reporting medical errors, particularly serious medical mistakes, collecting and analyzing errors data and conducting the required scientific researches. It is supposed to cooperate with national and international research institutions and supervise patient safety's training and education plans in addition to the risk management in health facilities. It also promotes and encourages the culture of patients' safety in all health facilities nationwide.
Al-Falih indicated that center's administrative and financial regulations would be completed in few weeks while its board's office would be located in the north of Riyadh under the chairmanship of Dr. Abdel Elah Al-Hosawi. The office's needs of human resources have already been outlined and the work is underway to choose the required personnel, the minister added.
In the context of the facility safety and security, Al-Falih said: having many health facilities spread all over the kingdom with obvious need for better safety procedures at engineering, procedural and training levels, makes the program a vital step. According to the minister, the program would carry out a comprehensive security and engineering development to attain safety across the Kingdom, giving the priority to the facilities which are in dire need for reconditioning. After assessing the status of each facility, plans would be developed to fulfill its needs and the implementation would go on in a parallel with other facilities, Al Falih said.
The plan includes measures needed to carry out the required changes in building and to provide safety systems and equipment.
In addition, the program suggests a package of rules and procedures for safety at each facility along with the protection and evacuation plans. It is expected to focus on developing education materials and training plans, monitoring implementation of safety procedures, and following up tests and plans of safety culture promotion at all health facilities. The program will seek cooperation with local and international expertise to achieve its objectives.