Fergus O'Dowd
Question:667. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with a group of persons as requested in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45403/18]
View answerTuesday, 6 November 2018
Questions (667, 681)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:681. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the progress he has made to date in progressing the adult safeguarding legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45477/18]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 667 and 681 together.
I understand that the Deputy is raising this important issue in the context of a recent Prime Time programme which was broadcast on 25 October. The Health Service Executive has advised that each of the current instances where some level of a restriction is in place will be reviewed. I welcome that decision.
I can assure you that my Department will be in direct contact with the individual concerned in response to her correspondence, which raises a number of issues.
From a policy perspective, I have taken a number of steps to ensure the voice of patients is embedded in the health service. I intend to appoint two patient advocates to the board of the Health Service Executive. Proposals for an independent Patient Safety Council are at an advanced stage and I expect to be in a position to bring proposals to Government very shortly.
In December 2017, the Government approved the development of a national adult safeguarding policy for the health sector. The policy, when developed, will cover the public, voluntary and private health sector and will include proposals on collaboration, information-sharing and referral arrangements between the health sector and other key sectors, and will include appropriate underpinning legislation.
My Department submitted a detailed proposal to the Law Reform Commission requesting the inclusion of an examination of the law on adult safeguarding in its Fifth Programme of Law Reform.
Relevant stakeholders were recently invited to submit views on the themes to be covered when developing the health sector policy, to assist my Department in structuring the detailed policy drafting phase which will shortly commence, and will involve ongoing stakeholder consultation. My officials are in the process of putting these structures in place, with a view to:
- commencing the detailed policy drafting process phase in December;
- circulating a draft policy for public consultation by the second half of 2019;
- securing Government approval to detailed and costed policy proposals around the end of 2019; and
- introducing draft legislation to underpin the approved policy thereafter.
Two further major policy initiatives in relation to adult safeguarding in the health sector are under way. The completion by the HSE of a major review and revision of its national operational adult safeguarding policy is at an advanced stage and will be very important in informing my Department’s development of the national health sector policy and identifying possible policy or legislative gaps.
Joint national standards on adult safeguarding for relevant health and social care centres, which are being developed by the Health Information and Quality Authority and the Mental Health Commission, are also at an advanced stage.