**1. Introduction**

An exploration of patient safety in this chapter is based on the premise that, just as they contribute to the health status of individuals and populations, social determinants of health contribute to the quality, safety and outcomes of health care. In this chapter we will explore patient safety in this context by exploring the dynamics of the intersection between the carceral environment and the social determinants of health experienced by people who become incarcerated, who are disproportionately from socially marginalised populations vulnerable to poor health outcomes. This chapter examines the intersection between carcerality and patient safety through the complex and inter-related factors that can affect susceptibility to medical error and associated harm(s) for those who are imprisoned. There are broader implications of this work for patient safety in other carceral spaces and places including institutions such as acute psychiatric units and 'locked' dementia wards and for people 'incarcerated' by public health orders.
