Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2024
640. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health when provisions of the Public Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 will be commenced to bring private hospitals into the remit of HIQA for the purpose of investigation of adverse patient events. [20877/24]
View answerPart 7 of the Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 amends the Health Act 2007 and will allow HIQA to monitor the compliance of the private/independent healthcare sector with standards set under the provisions of the Health Act 2007.
In this way private providers of services will, therefore, be subject to the same conditions that apply currently to public providers. HIQA will be able to monitor compliance in the private sector with the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare. The National Standards will enable HIQA to identify and report on where quality and safety improvements might be made in the delivery of services.
It is planned to commence the Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 as soon as possible this year.
This timeline has been set as, prior to commencement of the Act, there are a number of preparatory steps required. These are currently being progressed and significant multi-stakeholder engagement is now taking place across the health system.
The Act establishes a mandatory requirement for the notification of certain serious patient safety incidents. To facilitate this notification process, a new module to the existing National Incident Management System (NIMS) must be designed, tested and implemented before this provision can be commenced. Work with key stakeholders, including the HSE, State Claims Agency, HIQA and the Mental Health Commission, has been underway for some time and is approaching completion.
The HSE advise that work is underway to finalise and fully roll out their new open disclosure training policy and communications plan to all staff regarding the new disclosure and notification requirements under the Act before its implementation can be rolled out.
The Patient Safety Act also mandates open disclosure of patient requested review of cancer screening and the implementation of a communications programme regarding such reviews. The HSE and the Screening Services are currently finalising these processes.
