Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2015
457. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 468 of 23 June 2015, and given the acknowledged role that the Health Information and Quality Authority has in carrying out investigations regarding serious shortfalls and shortcomings in maternity units, the reason the Health Service Executive is conducting internal inquiries. [36201/15]
View answer458. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Health Information and Quality Authority has been appointed as the external reviewer for the review of Portiuncula Hospital in County Galway; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36202/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 together.
The safety of service users is of paramount importance and steps need to be taken to anticipate and avoid things going wrong and to reduce the impact if they do. Creating a culture of open disclosure and learning from the things that go wrong is the bedrock of making systems safer. It is in this context that the HSE requires all safety incidents to be reported, managed and investigated.
The HSE's National Safety Incident Management Policy 2014 and the Guidelines for Systems Analysis Investigation of Incident and Complaints 2012 were developed by the Executive to protect patients and ensure that robust investigations are carried out. The policy sets out the steps to be taken when an investigation is required and has been developed in line with international best practice in patient/service user safety and risk management.
The HSE recognises that some incidents, due to their seriousness, complexity, or where there are matters of significant public concern, will require investigations to have an additional level of independence. In the acute hospital sector the HSE has formal arrangements in place with the Forum of Postgraduate Training Bodies in Ireland and Royal Colleges in the UK for seeking nominations to Chair or participate in investigation teams. The use of these external experts is the exception rather than the rule.
At the request of the Chief Clinical Director, Saolta University Healthcare Group, the Executive's National Incident Management and Learning Team established a Review of the Maternity Services at Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe with an independent Review Team, chaired by Professor James Walker, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Leeds and supported by trained investigators. The Review team are working towards the Review being completed by the end of this year.
Under Section 9 of the Health Act 2007 the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) may undertake an investigation as to the safety, quality and standards of services provided by the Health Service Executive if the Authority believes that on reasonable grounds there is a serious risk to the health or welfare of a person receiving those services. I, as Minister, also have powers under the Health Act 2007 to request an investigation in particular circumstances. In the case of the Portiuncula Review I will await the outcome of the HSE Review Team's work before deciding if any further course of action is appropriate.
