Olivia Mitchell
Question:110 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the efforts she has made to improve clinical audit and competence assurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15504/06]
View answerWednesday, 26 April 2006
Questions (96)
Written answers
All medical practitioners have a responsibility to ensure their practices are safe and their skills are up to date. In this regard, I have pursued a number of important policies and actions, in particular the introduction of a new contract for hospital consultants, which is intended to include provisions for clinical audit and competence assurance and the introduction of a new medical practitioners Bill, which I hope to bring to the House later this year.
The medical practitioners Bill will provide for a statutory basis for an appropriate scheme of competence assurance for medical practitioners. The Medical Council will be the body responsible for the co-ordination and administration of the scheme. Pending the introduction of the legislation, the Medical Council has actively worked on addressing the gaps in this area. Recently, it announced a scheme of voluntary random performance assessments for doctors. The audits will complement existing schemes of continuing professional development which many medical practitioners participate in at present. The scheme is a welcome development in this area. Furthermore, I have asked my Department to develop mechanisms in conjunction with the HSE to ensure that clinical governance arrangements are strengthened throughout the health system.
Question No. 111 answered with QuestionNo. 66.