Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 April 2022
138. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the introduction of a national diabetes register considering that the lack of a register has made it difficult for policy makers and academics to understand the impact of tools used to help diabetes patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21328/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe development of a national diabetes registry remains a priority. The National Diabetes Registry Demonstrator Project, funded through Sláintecare, was paused as key HSE staff were redeployed onto urgent on-going COVID-19 work. Following substantial increases in investment in eHealth, the national diabetes registry is now being considered as part of a wider review of Ireland’s health information strategy, and will operate as a “virtual” registry.
Government approval was given this month to prepare the General Scheme of a Health Information Bill. It is envisaged that the Bill will include a provision to enable the operation of disease-specific “virtual” registries, including a virtual national diabetes registry, where information on disease diagnoses and treatment from healthcare providers is efficiently collated, combined and quality-checked from administrative records to create a database akin to an active registry for each disease. This will greatly improve the potential to monitor rare-disease prevalence in Ireland.
