Policy-makers and programme managers
| - Ensure medication safety is addressed at all levels and in all settings in the health care system
- Assess the burden of medication-related harm in your country
- Integrate medication safety into every stage of patient care
- Co-design and implement medication safety programmes with stakeholders, including patients and public
- Establish a patient safety incident reporting and learning system, including medication safety incidents (medication errors and related harm)
- Monitor progress and evaluate the impact of medication safety programmes
- Launch Know. Check. Ask. as the medication safety campaign across the country
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Health care leaders and facility managers
| - Designate a focal point and a multidisciplinary team to develop processes to ensure medication safety in your facility
- Develop and implement standard operating procedures for safe medication use, taking into account the risk of human error
- Make sure there are sufficient staff to cover patients’ medication needs
- Provide opportunities to train health workers on safe medication use
- Operationalize a patient safety incident reporting and learning system, including medication safety incidents (medication errors and related harm)
- Create a safety culture where health workers are able to raise safety concerns related to medications
- Prioritize action in areas where most medication-related harm occurs, such as high-risk situations, transitions of care and polypharmacy
- Put in place strategies to reduce the risk of medication errors, such as double-checking, patient engagement and using information technology to improve processes
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Health workers
| - Keep your skills in safe medication practices up to date
- Engage patients through shared decision-making using tools such as the 5 Moments for Medication Safety and implement actions related to the Know. Check. Ask. campaign
- Provide clear and full medication-related information to all members of the clinical team throughout the process of care
- Report medication safety incidents, and share and apply lessons learned with your team and patients when possible
- Be mindful of situations where risk from medications is high and ensure safety measures are followed
- Mentor new members of your team on safe medication systems and practices
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Patients, families and general public
| - When prescribed a medication, check with your health worker that you have all the information you need to take it safely. Follow the Know. Check. Ask. actions
- Keep an up-to-date list of all the medications you take, including traditional medicines, and share it with your treating health workers
- Take your medications as recommended by your health worker
- Use the 5 Moments for Medication Safety tool to keep you safe while taking your medications
- Be aware of the potential side-effects of your medications
- Store your medications as indicated and check the expiration date regularly
- Raise any concerns about your medication with your health worker
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