The reporting culture within an organisation, especially in highlighting errors or near misses, is key to ensure that the holes within the Swiss cheese model in our systems are identified. This helps us to put in preventive measures that will be long-lasting and stable. Obviously this involves openness at reporting errors/near misses among frontline staff members in their areas of care. While a punitive culture within organizations would result in valuable lessons being hidden under the carpet, a blame-free culture on the other hand does not promote accountability of one’s own action. Therefore, a balance between the two types of culture is required to ensure that we keep striving for improvement and safety in the care we provide. Ensuring psychological safety among our staff members would be essential since it will have an impact on patient safety within organisations.

Therefore, adopting the Just Culture is important as it:

a. Takes into account systems and latent defects

b. Allows for proper judgment of an event

c. Encourages individuals to speak up, report errors/defects

d. Acceptable versus unacceptable behaviour

e. Defines the way organizations handle reports of error and hazardous situations

f. Promotes accountability

Hence, promoting the Just Culture, is one of the key factors to help improve patient safety in healthcare organizations. Ensuring a safe portal for frontline staff members to comfortably report errors to help us to put in preventive measures into our systems. This will translate to getting closer to target zero harm.