Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
1307. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if there is a department which investigates issues of safeguarding of a vulnerable adult; and if he will provide the details of supports available to a person (details supplied). [14023/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraSafeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse, harm, and neglect by others in the context of their interactions with the health and social care sector is a key objective of the Department of Health, every statutory body under its aegis and every relevant service that interacts with such adults.
In the health and social care sector, a framework of standards, policies and procedures for safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse, harm, neglect, and exploitation within the sector, is in place, and further measures are being developed to strengthen this framework.
Cross-sectoral legislative provisions relevant to adult safeguarding are also applied throughout the health and social care sector, including, for example, legislation in relation to reporting certain offences against children or vulnerable persons to An Garda Síochána, vetting, equal status and assisted decision-making.
Existing governance measures
Key governance provisions currently in place include:
• The significant inspection and other regulatory powers of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and the Mental Health Commission (MHC) in relation to the quality and safety of healthcare and social care provision generally (under the Health Act 2007 and the Mental Health Acts).
• The roles of health and social care professional regulatory bodies (including CORU, the Irish Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the Dental Council of Ireland and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland) in relation to, inter alia, professional registration requirements and professional codes of conduct.
• Joint National Standards for Adult Safeguarding developed by HIQA and the MHC and approved by the Minister for Health, that apply to all regulated health and social care centres.
Existing operational safeguarding measures
The existing framework also includes a range of operational structures and procedures, including in particular the HSE’s national operational adult safeguarding policy Safeguarding Vulnerable People at Risk of Abuse – Policy and Procedures (2014), which is in place primarily in all HSE and HSE-funded social care settings.
The HSE has put in place a range of structures and processes to support and further develop its national operational adult safeguarding policy, including:
• A HSE National Safeguarding Office leading policy development and oversight.
• Clear guidelines set out in the existing policy for HSE and HSE-funded staff to follow in cases of suspected abuse or neglect of adults at risk (including a “zero tolerance” approach to abuse, meaning that abuse must be reported by staff in all instances).
• An adult safeguarding policy and procedures training programme, and a requirement that staff must attend training (the training is also accessible to non-HSE and HSE-funded services).
• Social work-led teams ("Safeguarding and Protection Teams") in each of the 9 HSE Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) areas.
• Over 2,000 designated safeguarding officers nominated by service providers and provided with additional training.
Policy and legislation development – health and social care sector
The Department of Health remains committed to ensuring that the best possible safeguards are in place to protect any of our service users who may be at risk of abuse, where health or social care services are provided to them.
The Department is at an advanced stage of developing a national policy to further strengthen existing protections in the health and social care sector. A public consultation on draft policy proposals has recently closed and it is expected that costed policy proposals will be brought before Government towards the end of this year.
The intention is that the policy will apply to all public, voluntary and private healthcare and social care settings. Subject to Government approval of this national sectoral policy, legislation as required to underpin the approved policy will thereafter be prepared. The introduction of safeguarding legislation remains a priority for me.
Other Government Departments and agencies have adult safeguarding roles or responsibilities appropriate to their functions. The independent Law Reform Commission has been undertaking a review and preparing draft legislation on A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding across all sectors. Upon completion, the Department of Health will consider any recommendations the Commission may make where relevant to the Department's functions and I anticipate that other Departments will do the same.
Service-related matters
As some of the issues set out in the details supplied relate to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly in that regard. In the interim, I understand that my officials have also shared contact information with your Office that may be helpful.
