Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2016
974. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Questions No. 308 of 2 June 2016, 88 of 21 January 2016 and 1950 of 16 September 2016, his plans to update the Defence Forces' data management systems such that important data regarding Defence Forces prescribing practices and their outcomes and consequences are available for analysis. [26909/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the military authorities that, historically, information in relation to specific medication prescribed to each individual is retained in the individual’s paper medical file.
In July 2016 the Defence Forces introduced an electronic records system to enable details of all medical treatment given to individual members to be electronic ally recorded. The Deputy will appreciate that this database of medical information is only being populated from that date onwards and it will necessarily be some time before sufficient electronic information exists to allow meaningful statistical information to be obtained from the new system .
I am informed that there is a plan to record and summarise past medical information contained on individuals’ paper medical files on the new system on a gradual basis and as circumstances allow.
