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Introduction: Given the potential risks involved in childbirth, patient safety is of utmost importance in maternity care.

Aim: To compare the level of patient safety culture between physicians and paramedics in public maternity care structures in Sousse, Tunisia.

Methods: An observational descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted among health professionals working in all public health maternities of Sousse, Tunisia. A valid Hospital Survey On Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire was used to gather data, and a score was calculated for each dimension by taking the average of the positive response proportions per item.

Results: The global response rate was 86.4%. Paramedics had a higher response rate compared to physicians (90.6% versus 62.1%). The overall scores for the ten dimensions of patient safety culture showed significantly higher scores for physicians compared to paramedics for the dimensions of "Expectations and actions of superiors regarding care safety" and "healthcare professional-patient relationship and safety culture" (88.43% versus 63.73%; p=0.027 and 75.38% versus 65.73%; p=0.041 respectively). Conversely, a significant difference was found in favor of paramedics compared to physicians regarding the dimension of "Management support for care safety" (37.3% versus 13%; p=0.019).

Conclusion: Significant differences in patient safety culture scores among healthcare professionals. It suggest that efforts should be made to improve management support for care safety for physicians, while paramedics could benefit from increased attention to expectations and actions of superiors regarding care safety and healthcare professional-patient relationship.