World Patient Safety Day 2026: We Showed Up!
HCAA is incredibly proud to have led the first nationwide, coordinated, patient- and whānau-led campaign, Light It Orange for Patient Safety & Health System Safety. The goal was to make patient safety visible, bring people together, and ensure Aotearoa not only joined this global movement but also had a voice and a presence on the international stage on World Patient Safety Day.
Health workers, patients, whānau and communities came together in a shared moment of connection, recognition and action. Across the motu, 23 landmarks were illuminated in orange, while people and organisations took part in activities to raise awareness, share lived experience and highlight what patient safety means in their own settings. Some wore orange, while others raised awareness of patient safety in their workplaces and communities.
Every conversation, story, event and orange light helped make patient safety more visible across Aotearoa. We didn’t simply acknowledge the day this year. Aotearoa showed up!
The images in the slides are just a small snapshot of the many moments that made 17 September so meaningful. Behind each one were people who cared enough to get involved, share their experiences and help shine a light on patient safety.
This was our first nationwide campaign, and we are incredibly proud of what was achieved. We look forward to building on this momentum and making World Patient Safety Day an annual part of New Zealand’s patient safety calendar.
Have a look at how we celebrated this special day here
What will you do to help make patient safety visible next year?
