A group of 7 students from NOVA National School of Public Health (NOVA NSPH) took part in the first edition of the Summer School PROTECT 24, a course run under the ERASMUS + – Blended Intensive program – BIP, organised by the universities of Miguel Hernández, Spain, Hochschule RheinMain, Germany, LAB University of Applied Sciences, Finland and NOVA NSPH, Portugal. The first Summer School PROTECT 24 took place between 30 September and 4 October.
The event was attended by students from Portugal, Spain, Germany and Finland and was structured around the application of frameworks for assessing and mitigating risks in the field of Patient Safety.
In addition to practical training in the use of risk management tools, the programme provided a valuable space for sharing experiences and good practices in the areas of Health Quality and Patient Safety, highlighting their relevance to strengthening health systems.
The Summer School also included seminars on the concept of the ‘Second Victim’ (Professor Jose Mira Solves. Miguel Hernández University), which addressed the emotional impact on healthcare professionals following adverse events, the presentation of the WHO’s strategy for the decade – ‘Global Action for Patient Safety 2021-2030’ (Professor Paulo Sousa, NOVA NSPH), and sessions dedicated to effective communication in times of crisis (Professor Reinhard Strametz, Hochschule RheinMain and Professor Susanna Tella, LAB University of Applied Sciences).
This combination of theoretical and practical training reinforced the importance of implementing safe and effective practices to promote patient safety, emphasising the need for a holistic and proactive approach to planning and managing quality in healthcare.