EUNetPaS

What is EUNetPaS?

EUNetPaS (European Union Network for Patient Safety) was a project funded and supported by the European Commission from 2008 - 2010.

Purpose

EUNetPaS was an umbrella group of all 27 EU member states and EU stakeholders, which was established to encourage and improve partnership in patient safety by sharing the knowledge, experiences and expertise of individual member states and EU stakeholders.

There were four work packages as part of this project.

Work package 1: Patient Safety Culture

The purpose of this work package was to collect and exchange information through the network on patient safety culture, practices and indicators in member states and to make it accessible to stakeholders through web based systems to facilitate cross border care.

Work package 2: Education and training in patient safety

The purpose of this work package was to develop a core programme for patient safety for higher education across Europe, taking into account patients’ and health care professionals’ needs. The programme will be based on existing materials such as curricula, national continuing professional development programmes and standards.

Work package 3: Reporting and Learning Systems

The purpose of this work package was to analyse and share the information collected on reporting and learning systems and on their implementation in the EU member states, to identify commonalities and understand the pros and cons of the differences observed. A further objective of this work package was to propose the development of a rapid alert mechanism.

Work package 4: Medication safety

The aim is to improve medication safety in hospitals by identifying best practices, translating them into tools, and testing these tools in selected hospitals. It also promotes co-operation within hospitals and creates a permanent network of hospitals. Hospitals will be active participants in all the activities of this work package.

What was Ireland's role?

The Health Information and Quality Authority was the the Irish coordinating agency and national contact point for EUNetPaS. Ireland participated in Work package 2: Education and training in patient safety and Work package 4: Medication Safety

Further information

Further information and all work packages are available at: www.eunetpas.eu