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Mortality Rates

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Questions (1781)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

1781. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on the level of excess mortality within nursing homes between January and February 2020; if an independent inquiry will be carried out to investigate the huge surge in deaths in nursing homes during this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18959/21]

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Written answers

Nursing home providers are required to notify the Chief Inspector of HIQA, the independent regulator, about unexpected deaths in their services. These notifications, along with all relevant statutory notifications to the Chief Inspector, are assessed and risk-rated to determine if any regulatory actions are required. These notifications are an important component of the ongoing regulatory oversight of nursing homes.

HIQA is the national independent regulator of nursing homes and through its powers assesses whether residential services are providing high-quality, safe and effective services and supports for the people who live there.

HIQA has significant and wide-ranging powers up to and including withdrawing the registration of a nursing home facility, which means that it can no longer operate as a service provider. This responsibility is underpinned by a comprehensive quality framework comprising of Registration Regulations, Care and Welfare Regulations and National Quality Standards.

HIQA, in discharging its duties determines, through examination of all information available to it, including site inspections, whether a nursing home meets the regulations in order to achieve and maintain its registration status. Should a nursing home be deemed to be non-compliant with the Regulations and the National Quality Standards, it may either fail to achieve or lose its registration status. In addition, the Chief Inspector has wide discretion in deciding whether to impose conditions of Registration on nursing homes.

The Central Statistics Office publishes quarterly data on vital statistics, including deaths, and publishes an annual Vital Statistics Report, the most recent available being for 2018. Additionally, HIQA receives quarterly notifications data on expected deaths. HIQA publishes data on notifications on its website www.hiqa.ie/areas-we-work/Database-of-Statutory-Notifications.

In January and February 2019 there were 117 ‘unexpected deaths’ notified to the Chief Inspector. For the same period in 2020 there were there were 151 notifications of ‘unexpected deaths’. Providers are also required to notify the Chief Inspector of the number of ‘expected deaths’ which occurred in their nursing home at the end of each quarter. For January and February 2019 HIQA was notified of 1,283 “expected deaths” and for the same period in 2020 it was notified of deaths 1,324 “expected deaths.” This number does not include notifications submitted via post.

Question No. 1782 answered with Question No. 1655.
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