RCSI endorsed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 'Second Global Patient Safety Challenge; Safe Surgery Saves Lives' at a launch hosted by the Health Information and Quality Authority in the College on Tuesday evening.

Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney officially launched the 'Surgical Safety Checklist' at the event.

The initiative aims to introduce a Surgical Safety Checklist to ensure the entire surgical team has a common understanding of the procedure and risk and a thorough knowledge of the patient prior to any procedure taking place. This checklist could be compared to the pre and post-flight checklists which have been used by pilots throughout the airline industry for many years.

National organisations and associations including Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, College of Anaesthetists, Irish Hospital Consultants Association, Irish Medical Organisation, Irish Nurses Organisation and Patient Focus today endorsed the World Health Organisation’s Second Global Patient Safety Challenge; Safe Surgery Saves Lives. Their signed letters of endorsement will be formally presented to the World Health Organisation at the official launch in Washington later this month.

Speaking at the launch, RCSI President, Professor Frank Keane said: “We are delighted to endorse this very worthwhile initiative. The College welcomes any measure that maximises best practice in surgery and results in increased patient safety in the operating theatre. Safety in healthcare generally is very much a priority at RCSI and this initiative marks an important step for surgical care in Ireland.”

Dr Tracey Cooper, Chief Executive of the Health Information and Quality Authority, said: “As the organisation set up to drive quality, safety and accountability in our health and social care services, patient safety is at the heart of what we do. This important initiative puts patient safety at the forefront of the surgical process and we are delighted to see it being embraced by so many organisations and associations. This can only lead to the surgical experience for patients being even safer for the future.”

Sheila O’Connor, Patient Focus, said: “We warmly welcome this initiative. This will have a significant impact on attitude and culture thereby improving patient safety from the outset.”

Ms Pauline Philip, Executive Secretary, Patient Safety, World Health Organisation, said: “The vision of the World Health Organisation is that one day that no patient will have an operation anywhere in the world without the 'WHO Surgical Safety Checklist' being used.”