On World Patient Safety Day (17 September), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is proud to announce a major milestone in its mission to protect public health: for the first time, the importance of medicine safety and how to report side effects of medicines via the Yellow Card scheme is now part of the RSHE statutory guidance for schools in England.
Working in close partnership with the Department for Education (DfE), the MHRA has successfully embedded this life-saving knowledge into the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance – reaching children and young people in classrooms across the country.
This bold step puts patient safety into the hands of the next generation, giving them the tools to recognise and report side effects from medicines.
Putting safety at the heart of education
The curriculum changes are reflected in the statutory guidance , which now links directly to the Yellow Card scheme and a dedicated child-friendly guide tested with over 3,500 children and young people.
The content covers:
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What a side effect is
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Why it’s important to report problems with medicines
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How to submit a Yellow Card report
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Who the MHRA are and how they help keep the public safe
A landmark in public health education
Lawrence Tallon, MHRA Chief Executive, said:
“This World Patient Safety Day, we’re marking a new era in public health. By equipping young people with knowledge about medicine safety, we’re laying the foundations for a lifetime of safer healthcare. The inclusion of information on how to report side effects via the Yellow Card scheme in schools ensures every child knows that their voice matters in making medicines and devices safer for everyone.”
Zubir Ahmed, Patient Safety Minister, said:
“This government is helping the children of today to be part of the healthiest generation ever. From getting children exercising and banning junk food ads near schools, to empowering them to take control of their own health.
“By embedding education about the safety of medicines into the school curriculum, we’re giving young people the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves and their loved ones from preventable harm. On World Patient Safety Day, this is just one of the ways we’re putting patient voice at the heart of healthcare for all ages.”
Professor Henrietta Hughes, the Patient Safety Commissioner, said:
“It’s excellent to see Yellow Card reporting on the school curriculum, so more people know how to report possible side effects. No one knows themselves better than patients and their families. When we respect and act on what patients say, improved safety from medicines and medical devices will follow.”
Stephen Tomlin, The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacy Group (NPPG) Joint Medicines Committee, commented:
“Medicines are the largest therapeutic intervention in the health care setting and children often experience the success and problems with medicines in a different way to adults. This initiative supports children to intervene and interact with medicine safety which will not only help support improvement in their care, but also equip them with a lifetime medicine safety skill.”
Why it matters
World Patient Safety Day emphasises the need for stronger measures to protect children from preventable harm. The inclusion of this important information on the curriculum reflects this call by making young people active participants in the safety of the healthcare system.
The inclusion in education ensures that even the youngest members of society know how to:
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Take charge of their own health
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Speak up when something doesn’t feel right
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Play a direct role in improving the safety of medicines and medical devices for all
Accessible, empowering, actionable
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Young people are guided to seek support from a parent, carer, teacher, or healthcare professional if they’re worried about a possible side effect, and they are shown how to report it through the Yellow Card website: https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk
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The guide for children and young people explains reporting in simple, clear terms and is now an official part of the resources supporting Health Education in England.
About the Yellow Card scheme
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The Yellow Card scheme is the UK’s system for reporting suspected side effects to medicines, medical devices, and other healthcare products. Managed by the MHRA, the scheme plays a crucial role in monitoring product safety and taking action to minimise risks.
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Now, for the first time, children and young people are actively encouraged in this system – not just as potential patients, but as active participants in ensuring safer healthcare for all.
Notes to editors
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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
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The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
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For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.
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This guidance was developed in close partnership with Professor Dan Hawcutt – University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
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The statutory guidance is applicable to all schools in England and can be accessed via the Department for Education website.
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The inclusion of Yellow Card content supports broader initiatives around safeguarding, personal wellbeing, and digital literacy in the healthcare context.
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World Patient Safety Day is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization to raise awareness and drive action to improve the safety of healthcare systems worldwide.
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N. Bhoombla et al. (2020) ‘Pharmacovigilance Reports Received from Children and Young People, and Development of Information to Aid Future Reporting from this Age Group’ Paediatric Drugs. doi: 10.1007/s40272-020-00391-6.
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D.B. Hawcutt et al. (2022) ‘Information for children and young people about reporting suspected adverse drug reactions’ Archives of Disease in Childhood. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2021-323400.
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L. Bioletti et al. (2024) ‘Assessing and further developing age-appropriate information for young people about reporting suspected adverse drug reactions’ British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. doi: 10.1111/bcp.15971
