World Patient Safety Day 2026

World Patient Safety Day – one of the WHO’s global health days
 – has been observed on September 17 since 2019.

Address specific patient safety issues

The German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit e. V. – APS) has announced the theme for this year’s World Patient Safety Day, taking place on 17 September 2026: safe care for people living with chronic, noncommunicable diseases. The German motto, “Safe Care for People with Chronic Conditions – For a Better Life!”, complements the World Health Organization (WHO) theme “Safe care for noncommunicable diseases” and the global slogan “Safe care for life!”

APS invites healthcare professionals, healthcare organizations, and institutions across Germany to organize activities around 17 September and help raise awareness of patient safety. Since 2019, the awareness day—originally initiated by APS—has been officially designated each year by the WHO as World Patient Safety Day.

Chronic noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health conditions are among the leading causes of illness, reduced quality of life, and premature death worldwide. Caring for people with these conditions often spans many years and includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, nursing care, and long-term follow-up. This requires close collaboration among numerous healthcare professionals across different care settings. In particular, transitions between primary and hospital care, as well as between medical, nursing, and rehabilitative services, present significant challenges for patient safety.

Safe care for people with chronic conditions is essential to patient safety for several reasons:

1. Continuity of care: Well-coordinated care across all healthcare settings helps prevent the loss of critical information and ensures safe treatment throughout the entire course of a person’s illness.
2. Safe treatment and medication: Many people living with chronic conditions receive complex therapies and take multiple medications. Structured medication management and regular treatment reviews help reduce avoidable risks.
3. Prevention and early identification of risks: Patient safety begins with prevention, health promotion, and the early detection of health risks, diseases, and complications. Early intervention can reduce adverse outcomes and improve quality of life.
4. Patient engagement: Patients and their families are essential partners in safe care. Clear information, shared decision-making, and open communication strengthen both patient safety and treatment outcomes.
5. Collaboration and a culture of safety: Safe care for people with chronic conditions depends on effective interprofessional teamwork, reliable communication, and a safety culture that promotes learning from risks and incidents.

Overall, safe care for people living with chronic conditions plays a key role in reducing preventable harm and sustainably improving patients’ quality of life. While this year’s campaign focuses on chronic diseases, activities addressing all aspects of patient safety are welcome as part of World Patient Safety Day.

Everyone involved in healthcare is invited to actively participate in World Patient Safety Day. In addition to healthcare professionals, the campaign explicitly welcomes patients, family members, caregivers, and the general public, because patient safety can only be achieved through joint commitment. Hospitals, medical practices, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, rehabilitation centres, emergency medical services, therapy providers, and other healthcare organizations are encouraged to organize their own events and activities, demonstrating their commitment to improving patient safety.

To mark World Patient Safety Day, the German Coalition for Patient Safety (APS) will host its central national event on 17–18 September 2026. Further information on the venue, programme, and registration will be published in due course on the World Patient Safety Day website.