For the 2026 edition of the European Patient Safety Conference organised by EUPSF, we are proud to introduce the third edition of the Butterfly Impact Award: Small actions, Big Changes in Patient Safety, aimed at recognising outstanding contributions to patient safety.
Objectives
- To recognise the benefits of implemented innovative practices with evidence-based impact on patient safety.
- To demonstrate that patient safety can also be impacted by no-tech or low-tech approaches
- To promote exchange and mutual learning around those initiatives/projects.
- To identify projects with the potential for wider adoption across Europe
- Foster collaboration between national patient safety bodies
Participation Rules
- Only individuals from healthcare organisations (hospitals, primary care settings, patient organisations, universities and schools,…) may submit a candidature
- Each individual can submit a maximum of two projects
- The projects/initiatives presented are based on a non-technological, low-tech or open source approach
- The projects / initiatives must have been implemented or at least tested in healthcare settings
- The project/initiative should ideally be supported by a scientific publication.
- The project or its deliverables are not protected by a commercial licence.
- By participating to the award, the authors seek dissemination and further use of their innovative practice across Europe.
- The project must be submitted in English.
Information and documentation to be provided:
Each candidate will have to fill in the submission form and upload the project description (in an abstract form) of maximum 2 pages using the project submission template. A maximum of 6 authors can be included.
Selection Process
2026 Award Session
Three finalists will be invited to present their projects at the 2026 European Patient Safety Conference (5-7 min max). The audience will decide about the ranking through the interactive voting at the end of the session.
Winner Session
After the conference, the 1st place winner will have the possibility to present the project in detail during a dedicated webinar organised by EUPSF.
Other Award Benefits for the Winning Project
The winner of the 2026 BIAPS will benefit from dedicated support by the European Patient Safety Foundation (EUPSF) to help disseminate and upscale their initiative across Europe.
This support will include:
- Promotion through a dedicated press release announcing the 2026 BIAPS Winner
- Visibility on EUPSF social media channels, through a dedicated post and mention in relevant updates
- An article in the EUPSF Newsletter to present the initiative to our wider network
- A strategic meeting with EUPSF to discuss the next steps for broader dissemination and scaling, identifying opportunities and connections at European level
While our resources are limited, we are committed to ensuring that the award not only recognises the work of the authors but also actively contributes to the continued growth and impact of the winning project.
For any additional information, please contact mirka.cikkelova@eupsf.org.
Submit your project
Each candidate will have to fill in the submission form and upload the project description (in an abstract form) of maximum 2 pages using the project submission template. A maximum of 6 authors can be included.
2025 winners
THE WINNER OF THE 2025 BUTTERFLY IMPACT AWARD IN PATIENT SAFETY:
Mental Health for Health Professionals (MeSu) Project, a simple yet comprehensive and sustainable model for improving staff well-being, presented by Dr. Pernille Cedergreen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen. The MeSu model is the supportive conversation – a peer-to-peer interaction grounded in empathy, presence, and psychological safety. Staff are trained to initiate and carry out these conversations in real-time, within the clinical setting. For more serious events, selected clinicians and leaders are trained in evidence-based techniques such as defusing. When needed, psychological services remain available for the most complex needs. This layered support model empowers clinical teams to address everyday stressors, share emotional load, and build collegial trust. By building capacity within clinical teams to support each other, we are not only addressing immediate distress — we are laying the groundwork for a more resilient, humane healthcare system. The project initially piloted in a Department of Anaesthesiology, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, Capital Region of Denmark and is now being scaled hospital-wide at Herlev Gentofte Hospital.
Inge Kristensen, CEO of the Danish Society for Patient Safety, received the prize on behalf of the whole team working on the project. Our sincere congratulations go to all authors: Dr. Pernille Cedergreen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen; Dr. Jacob Nielsen, MD, Senior Consultant; Dr. Simon Tulloch, Senior Consultant (Psychiatry); and Prof. Doris Oestergaard and Prof. Peter Dieckmann, CAMES, Copenhagen.
Butterfly Impact Award in Patient Safety 2025 winner, presented during the Award Ceremony at the European Patient Safety Foundation (EUPSF) Patient Safety Conference on 24 October 2025 in Munich, Germany. From left to right: Ms Kira Tosberg, EUPSF Board Member; Mrs Inge Kristensen, CEO of the Danish Society for Patient Safety and representative of the BIAPS 2025 winner; Mr Pedro Vieira Dos Santos, EUPSF Vice-President.
SECOND PRIZE OF THE 2025 BUTTERFLY IMPACT AWARD IN PATIENT SAFETY:
From Silence to Support: Implementing a Hybrid Physician Handover Meeting in Medicine
Developed and presented by Dr. Ganesh Arunachalam, Consultant Physician in Elderly Care, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow Town, United Kingdom, this project introduced a hybrid medical handover model, combining in-person ward teams with remote consultant participation via Microsoft Teams to strengthen decision-making and patient safety during out-of-hours care. By standardising handover lists and ensuring consistent senior oversight without additional staffing, the initiative improved communication, reduced errors, and increased junior doctors’ confidence in escalation and discharge decisions.
Butterfly Impact Award in Patient Safety 2025 – Second Prize, presented during the Award Ceremony at the European Patient Safety Foundation (EUPSF) Patient Safety Conference on 24 October 2025 in Munich, Germany. From left to right: Ms Kira Tosberg, EUPSF Board Member; Dr Ganesh Arunachalam, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow Town, United Kingdom; Mr Pedro Vieira Dos Santos, EUPSF Vice-President.
THIRD PRIZE OF THE 2025 BUTTERFLY IMPACT AWARD IN PATIENT SAFETY:
Developing a Low-Fidelity Simulation Curriculum to Improve Patient Safety Across a University Hospital
Led by Dr. Hannah Wehrmann, Assistant Physician in Pediatrics, Teaching Faculty Member, University of Witten/Herdecke & Helios University Hospital Wuppertal, Germany, this project established a structured, low-cost simulation-based training (SBT) curriculum to improve patient safety, teamwork, and communication across paediatric and adult care settings. By integrating regular in-situ simulations using expired materials, basic technology, and psychological safety principles into routine working hours, the initiative demonstrated that meaningful, system-wide safety improvements can be achieved sustainably without expensive equipment.
Butterfly Impact Award in Patient Safety 2025 – Third Prize, presented during the Award Ceremony at the European Patient Safety Foundation (EUPSF) Patient Safety Conference on 24 October 2025 in Munich, Germany. From left to right: Ms Kira Tosberg, EUPSF Board Member; Dr Hannah Wehrmann, University of Witten/Herdecke & HELIOS University Hospital Wuppertal, Germany; Mr Pedro Vieira Dos Santos, EUPSF Vice-President.
Contact 2024 winners
For inquiries on adapting or replicating these impactful projects, please contact:
BIAPS 2024 Winner: ERNST Consortium –
info@cost-ernst.eu; https://cost-ernst.eu/
BIAPS 2024 2nd PRIZE:
Dr. Anne Rüggeberg and Dr. Eike Nickel – www.fastingcards.com
BIAPS 2024 3rd PRIZE:
mazilu.carmen@oammrbuc.ro, viorica.nedelcu@oammrbuc.ro; www.oammrbuc.ro
Media enquiries
For media enquiries about the BIAPS Award,
EUPSF or the EUPSF Patient Safety Conference, please contact:
secretariat@eupsf.org | www.eupsf.org | conference.eupsf.org
ORGANISED BY
