The World Health Organization has released its Patient Safety Rights Charter which aims to outline patients’ rights in the context of safety, and promotes the upholding of these rights, as established by international human rights standards for everyone, everywhere, at all times.
A key resource in supporting the implementation of the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030: Towards eliminating avoidable harm in health care, the charter lists 10 patient safety rights:
1. Right to timely, effective, and appropriate care
2. Right to safe health care processes and practices
3. Right to qualified and competent health workers
4. Right to safe medical products and their safe and rational use
5. Right to safe and secure health care facilities
6. Right to dignity, respect, non-discrimination, privacy and confidentiality
7. Right to information, education and supported decision making
8. Right to access to medical records
9. Right to be heard and fair resolution
10. Right to patient and family engagement.
Similarly, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care describes the rights that consumers, or someone they care for, can expect when receiving health care via its Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights – released in 2008, with a second edition released in 2019.