BLOG: From Carole Bell on World Patient Safety Day 2025

As World Patient Safety Day 2025 focuses on ‘patient safety from the start’ Carole Bell, Director of Nursing and Quality at the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee (NWJCC), shares her reflections on the important role quality plays in commissioning leadership…

This year’s theme for World Patient Safety Day - patient safety from the start - feels especially close to my heart. It’s a powerful reminder that the safety and wellbeing of every child begins not just at birth, but with the systems, people, and values that surround them from day one.

As someone who leads a team supporting commissioned services across NHS Wales, I see every day how strategic planning, collaboration, and evidence-based care can transform outcomes for patients. But my journey into patient safety hasn’t just stayed in the boardroom - it has extended to a small village in Uganda.

From Carmarthen to Kachumbala…

Back in 2015, I was approached by Hywel Dda Engineers for Overseas Development (EFOD) to provide professional advice on a new maternity unit they were building in Kachumbala, in Uganda’s Eastern Bukeda Region. The project was ambitious - £100,000 raised, third-year apprentices from Carmarthen College working alongside local tradesmen, and a vision to improve maternal and neonatal care in a region with limited resources.

On 2nd November 2017, the Unit officially opened. Standing there, with the red Ugandan soil under my nails and the warmth of the community around me, I felt something shift. The people had so little yet gave so much. Their smiles, their resilience, their trust - it was humbling.

Through this work, we saw real change in:

• Increased vaccination uptake
• Improved dental hygiene and education
• Better infection control practices
• A measurable reduction in infection rates

Born on the Edge: Saving Newborn Lives

My involvement didn’t stop there. I began working with Born on the Edge, a charity focused on saving newborn lives through education and sustainable support. Fundraising efforts helped train a midwife whose knowledge has since reduced mortality rates and improved referral pathways to Mbale Regional Centre.

These experiences taught me that patient safety isn’t just about protocols - it’s about people. It’s about empowering professionals, listening to patients and communities, and building systems that work for everyone.

 

Leading for Safer Care in Wales…

Today, I lead a team that supports commissioned services across NHS Wales. Our work is rooted in the same principles I saw in Uganda:

• Early intervention
• Evidence-based practice
• Inclusive, culturally sensitive care
• Collaboration across disciplines

We’re proud to support programmes like MatNeoSSP, which is driving national improvements in maternity and neonatal safety. From developing standards and improving thermoregulation in pre-hospital care, to embedding champions in every Health Board, the programme is laying the groundwork for safer, more equitable care.

But we know there’s more to do. Sustainability, workforce investment, and long-term outcome measurement are key to ensuring that the changes we make today last well into the future.

Looking Ahead…

I’m planning to return to Uganda next year, and I know it will be another chapter of learning, connection, and impact. If you’re interested in getting involved or supporting future fundraising events, I’d love to hear from you.

On this World Patient Safety Day, I’m reminded that safety starts with leadership, compassion, and a commitment to doing better for every child, everywhere. It is an honour to be in a position where we can collaborate with colleagues across the system to achieve this in our commissioned services.

Because when we invest in safe beginnings, we invest in lifelong health.