When was hiqa formed

In such cases, HIQA typically undertakes both announced and unannounced inspection of healthcare facilities in order to ascertain the degree of adherence to expected standards. In cases where remedial action is required, depending on the severity of the risk identified, HIQA may draw the matter to the attention of hospital management during the inspection and request an immediate response, or in less severe cases, will raise the issue in writing.

In either case, an appropriate management response would be expected. Cookies on oireachtas. We'd like to use analytics and functionality cookies to help us improve it but we require your consent to do so. Read more about our cookies. I certainly think the press and media are always very, very interested in probably where there are challenges, rather than where there are positives within services.

So I think we always need to work on that relationship, work to make sure that relationship — either with the HSE or Department — is a constructive one, that we have shared objectives in relation to the quality and safety of services. In the consultation process conducted by the Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare, HIQA recommended new commissioning arrangements, which would explicitly define and separate the roles of purchaser and provider of services.

Currently, both of these functions are usually performed by the HSE. So the sorts of information and the sorts of intelligence that HIQA develops becomes very, very, important under that commissioning model. The other aspect of that, which is not specifically linked to maternity services or health services per se, is looking at a model where commissioning can also be done at a local level, at a Community Healthcare Organisation level, when they are actually purchasing care on behalf of an individual who has got long-term needs.

The emphasis that there is on primary and community care is exactly the right direction… Again, we are starting to see what the national population needs are for health and social care. I do think we need to see momentum placed behind it.

The relationship between politics and regulation can be difficult. The delay in introducing hospital licensing can be attributed to a lack of political will, given that the proposal was made in in the Report of the Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance , a process that was chaired by medical law and ethics expert Prof Deirdre Madden.

Despite the recommendation dating from a decade ago, it is only now that serious progress is being made, with the Government having approved the drafting of the Patient Safety Licensing Bill at the end of last year. Mr Quinn admitted that the delay on the issue has been frustrating. That is 10 full years ago. Certainly, I think the speed at which legislation is developed within the country has contributed to the delay, but maybe as well it is a reticence to recognise the implications of what licensing might mean.

They are quite challenging from a service delivery perspective, but also from a political perspective. It is a challenging thing to do within the healthcare system. Giving HIQA the power to license hospitals, both public and private, would fundamentally change the nature of the current regulatory framework. Although the Authority has such powers over nursing homes, for example, extending licensing responsibility to the acute sector would have widespread ramifications.

So really, it is quite an informal model of monitoring and oversight. It will bring about some form of mechanism whereby HIQA will be required to inspect.

Mr Quinn said that the precise model of licensing ie, full hospital inspection or thematic inspections within a hospital has yet to be determined, but whatever framework takes shape, the powers of HIQA will be strengthened.

I imagine that would be up to and including the cancellation of services, either in the private or public sector. That in itself creates a challenge. We have actually produced a scenario-testing paper for the Department of Health, which sets out [that] if there is significant non-compliance in an essential service, it is one thing giving us the legislation to act in accordance with that non-compliance, but how palatable politically would that be?

There has been too much official ducking and diving because of a highly critical report by the Health Information and Quality Authority Hiqa concerning standards of care and administrative oversight at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

Evading personal responsibility for mistakes and failures has become too common among health service employees. A draft report on Portlaoise hospital, however, brought thundering denunciation from management of the Health Service Executive HSE and threats of a High Court action to prevent its publication.

Soothing noises from Taoiseach Enda Kenny and appeals for mediation between the parties suggested the outcome might be a watered-down fudge. That, however, has not happened. Hiqa appears to be standing its ground. In both cases, a traditional immunity from critical scrutiny and accountability is gradually being stripped away. They are deeply resented within the force.

Hiqa finds itself in much the same position as it develops its role as health watchdog. Unless there is convincing evidence of prejudice or inappropriate conclusions, it should encourage transparency and accountability. In this instance, such a decision is likely to involve political baggage. In spite of complaints on safety grounds, former minister for health James Reilly intervened in to preserve the status of the hospital. The necessary funding was not, however, put in place by the HSE. A tug-of-war exists between conflicting objectives.

But local communities are determined to retain existing services and place undue pressure on politicians and the HSE. I worked in Social Care for 15 years, and decided that I needed to change things up a little bit - I pursued my love for creative writing, which landed me a successful role as a freelance journalist. After 12 months of having this experience, I was offered a role working as a Corporate Fundraiser for a hospital, organising high-end, large scale corporate events.

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