Today is World Patient Safety Day, a global campaign run by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness and unite people in reducing preventable harm in healthcare.

This year’s theme is safe care for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs include cancer, diabetes, heart failure, Parkinson’s and MS, among many others.

People living with these kinds of conditions often need continuous care across many settings, over long periods of time, which creates multiple points where safety risks can arise – from prevention and diagnosis, to treatment, long-term management and self-care.

Because of this, it’s particularly important that we all work together to keep our patients safe as they navigate these systems. We also need patients to be proactive in their own care.

Vanessa Purday, Chief Medical Officer said: "When managing a lifelong illness, patients interact with the healthcare system constantly, and are therefore exposed to potentially more risk.

“Our goal should always be to make everyday treatments for long-term illnesses simpler, safer, and better coordinated, to protect patients from preventable harm across their entire care journey.”

Carolyn Mills, Chief Nursing Officer said: "People living with lifelong conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, are not just patients passing through; they are often supported by our services throughout their lives.

“We must therefore continue to help our patients and their families and carers to safely navigate our services at every stage of their care.”

Over the coming weeks we will be sharing a wide range of stories from across our care groups, about the work we are doing to make a difference to NCD related patient safety at the Royal Devon.