My Department continues to develop a Licensing of Healthcare Bill. It is intended that licensing of healthcare facilities will extend across both public and private healthcare providers, with an initial focus on hospitals and high risk health services in settings other than hospitals. HIQA will be the licensing authority with responsibility for granting and revoking licences, for inspecting against core standards and for imposing sanctions as necessary. I expect to be in a position to submit the Heads of the Bill to Government for approval in the New Year and the draft Heads will be published thereafter.
At the same time my Department is examining the possibility of amending the Health Act 2007 to extend HIQA's remit for standard setting and monitoring to the private healthcare sector in the shorter term. Any such legislative proposals would require Government approval before proceeding.