Patient safety, relating to prevention of harm during healthcare activities, remains a pressing issue with substantial social and economic costs in OECD countries. It is estimated that up to 13% of healthcare spending goes towards treatment of patients harmed during care, the majority of which could be avoided if appropriate safety protocols and clinical guidelines were adhered to (Slawomirski and Klazinga, 2022[1]). To achieve sustainable progress towards safe care and the goals of WHO’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021‑30, a focus on the promotion of patient safety cultures (see section on “Safe acute care – workplace culture and patient experiences”) and improvement in both processes and outcomes (see section on “Patient-reported outcomes in acute care”) is vital (WHO, 2021[2]).