Patient and Family Advisory Council
About the Patient and Family Advisory Council
Patient-centered care is vital to the success of any patient care initiative. Understanding the views of patients and their families is the key to achieving desired results for all stakeholders, whether patients and their families, healthcare practitioners or the community. Therefore, the Patient and Family Advisory Council aims to create an active partnership between patients and healthcare providers in the health sector to meet future aspirations.
The council consists of a group of patients or who have one of their relatives who have past experiences with healthcare services, working with the Saudi Patient Safety Center as volunteer advisors and are working on issues concerned with improving patient safety. The members of the advisory council are mediators and representatives of the Saudi Patient Safety Center across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the supervision of the SPSC. We aspire to form Patient and Family Advisory Councils throughout the Kingdom. The first six advisory councils were established in 2019 are as follows:
- Patient and their Family Advisory Council in Riyadh
- Patient and their Family Advisory Council in Al-Qassim
- Patient and their Family Advisory Council in Makkah Al-Mukarramah
- Patient and their Family Advisory Council in Jeddah
- Patient and their Family Advisory Council in Jizan
- Patient and their Family Advisory Council in Qurayyat
Objectives
- Empower patients and society in health and involving them in taking decisions that affect patient safety.
- Council members' participate in the activities of their respective regions under the umbrella of the center.
- Act as a link between the Saudi Patient Safety Center and community members in the Council's region.
- Represent patients, their families and community members in the region.
- Act as a consultant to the Saudi Patient Safety Center with regard to patient safety.
The Importance of Patient and Family Advisory Council
For health care institutions:
- Providing an effective mechanism to receive and respond to customer needs.
- Improving desired outcomes through effective planning and patient engagement, ensuring that services meet the needs and priorities of consumers.
- Increased understanding and cooperation between patients, families and employees.
- Promote effective and respectful partnerships between patients, families and physicians.
- To shift towards a patient-centered culture of care.
- Developing programs and policies related to patient and family needs.
- Strengthening societal relationships.
For patients and their families:
- Gain a better understanding of the healthcare system.
- Have their opinions and inputs appreciate, heard and implemented
- Gain the means to become supporters of patients.
- Good understanding of how to become active participants in their health care.
- Developing close relationships with other members of the council.
- Provide an opportunity to learn new skills (facilitating groups, listening skills, and telling their story).
How can I participate?
To participate, please fill out the form through the following link:
https://www.spsc.gov.sa/Arabic/pages/PaFAC.aspx
Target group
- Patients.
- Patient's families.
- Community.
- Patient Advocates.