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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 3

Written Answers. - Competence Assurance Structures.

Bernard Allen

Question:

209 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps which have been taken to develop competence assurance structures; and the way in which he proposes to deal with the IMO's reservation regarding clinical material being reviewed by lay participants in the assurance procedures. [17723/01]

The Medical Council has made significant progress towards the introduction of competency standards for Irish doctors. The council has recently appointed a director of competence assurance. He will work with the Medical Council, the professional training bodies and an external reviewer in drawing up a structure, scheduled to come into effect in the next few years. A structure is needed because it is clearly important that doctors are able to demonstrate that competence is maintained, particularly to the public. The details will be developed in close consultation with the key stakeholders, including doctors and their representatives, and they will be engaged in both a formal and informal way in developing the competency assessment structures.

I have recently commissioned a review of the competence assurance law in jurisdictions comparable to that of Ireland and the potential implications of the Freedom of Information Act upon this process. This review is currently with my Department and therefore not available for publication in its original form until its function of informing the drafting of heads of bill for the new Medical Practitioners' Act has been discharged. The report includes an overview of the need for competence assurance, the obstacles and opportunities afforded by the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, and the legislative measures enacted both in Australia and the United States to protect doctors who are either undergoing or overseeing the competence assurance process.

It has proved readily possible in countries with legal traditions and freedom of information legislation analogous to Ireland's to introduce effective statutes enabling competence assurance to accommodate the broad and specific concerns of doctors and patients regarding confidentiality and legal privilege.

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