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Prof. Sandra C. Buttigieg delivers keynote address at International Healthcare Quality Conference in Kraków

Prof. Sandra C. Buttigieg, Professor at the Department of Health Systems Management and Leadership, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta and public health physician, was invited to deliver a keynote address at the 28th National Conference on Quality in Healthcare, held in Kraków, Poland, on 21–22 May 2026. The conference brought together healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to discuss current challenges and innovations in healthcare quality and patient safety.

In her keynote, entitled “Bridging the Safety Gap: Aligning Informal Care with Global Action Plans on Patient Safety,” Prof. Buttigieg highlighted the increasingly important role of informal caregivers in ensuring safe and effective care across home and community settings. Drawing on her research and collaboration with European and international partners, she explored how demographic changes, workforce shortages, and increasingly complex care pathways are shifting significant healthcare responsibilities to families and carers.

Prof. Buttigieg argued that patient safety must extend beyond healthcare institutions and be recognised as a shared societal responsibility. She called for stronger integration between health and social care services, improved discharge planning, caregiver education and support, and the development of systems that recognise and address risks in home-based care. Her keynote underscored the need to view informal caregivers as essential partners in care and emphasised the importance of supporting their wellbeing, competence, and confidence to achieve safer, more sustainable health systems.