Peadar Tóibín
Question:224. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will regulate the Narconon’s residential drug rehabilitation centres to ensure that clients are safe. [44360/23]
View answerWednesday, 11 October 2023
Questions (224)
Written answers
The Department has no jurisdiction over agencies that provide private addiction treatment services. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is the independent authority established to drive develop standards, inspect and review health and social care services, however HIQA’s remit does not extend to the regulation or inspection of residential treatment or rehabilitation centres specialising in addiction.
Under the Health Act 2004, as amended, the HSE is responsible for the provision of health and personal social services including addiction services. The HSE either providers these services directly or contracts to have them provided on its behalf. Organisations which provide addiction services and are funded by the HSE are required to meet minimum standards in the delivery of services across a range of criteria which form the basis of any Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Organisations which provide addiction services and are funded by the HSE are required to meet minimum standards in the delivery of services across a range of criteria which form the basis of any service level agreement. As part of the SLA, there is a requirement for the agency to agree to implementing the National Standards for Safer, Better Healthcare published by HIQA in 2012 National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare | HIQA In addition, many of the agencies also receive accreditation through other bodies, for example CCQI from the Royal College of Psychiatrists UK.
The HSE has previously advised the Department that Scientology’s drug treatment programme has no standing amongst medical professionals involved in the treatment of persons with alcohol and drug use disorders. It comprises a series of interventions (Narconon) with limited or no basis in scientific understanding of human physiology and brain functioning and may potentially be harmful directly (with overuse of vitamins and other products) and indirectly (in that persons are engaging in an intervention with no evidence of potential benefits for them). This approach is not endorsed by the national Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA) in the USA.