Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2013
626. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the inspection procedure for health facilities, in particular hospitals; if there is a difference in the inspection procedures between public and private hospitals; if inspections are pre-arranged with facilities receiving prior notification; and if so, if it would be more effective to have on-the-spot, random inspections for all health facilities operating here. [54297/13]
View answerUnder Section 8 of the Health Act 2007 the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) may set standards on safety and quality and monitor compliance with these standards. HIQA may also undertake an investigation as to the safety, quality and standards of the services if the Authority believes that there are reasonable grounds for doing so as set out in Section 9 of the Act. HIQA, therefore, uses the powers available under the Health Act 2007 to monitor compliance with the Standards it sets and to undertake investigations in public hospitals. A number of hospital inspections have taken place in recent months as part of HIQA's monitoring of the implementation of the National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI). To date HIQA has carried out both announced and unannounced inspections in public hospitals around the country to monitor compliance with the HCAI Standards. It is a matter for HIQA to decide on the operational arrangements used to monitor implementation of Standards and if such monitoring requires unannounced visits to public hospitals. HIQA does not carryout inspections in private hospitals as HIQA does not have a remit in this area.
