Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 March 2014
473. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress of Health Information and Quality Authority, as part of its business plan for 2013; if he will review the governance and management arrangements of pre-hospital emergency care services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10814/14]
View answerI am aware that concerns have been raised recently concerning ambulance service response times. In the circumstances, I have asked HIQA to bring forward its planned review of pre-hospital emergency care. HIQA is in the process of designing an Assessment Framework against the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare and will apply the Authority’s Monitoring Approach to undertake the review as part of its assurance programme on the quality and safety of healthcare service provision against national standards. The Authority will review the governance arrangements of pre-hospital emergency care services to ensure the timely assessment, diagnosis, initial management and transport of an acutely ill patient to an appropriate healthcare facility.
I should also explain that the National Ambulance Service will undertake its own capacity review, to determine current and future service delivery needs. This process will examine a number of areas, including staff numbers and skill mix, as well as resource distribution.
