Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I join the Chairman in welcoming Mr. Quinn and Mr. Whelan, representing the Health Information and Quality Authority. I thank HIQA for its report and the vital role the organisation plays. This acknowledgement is deserved once again. When we recall that HIQA was established as a consequence of the failure of self-regulation and the so-called regulation that applied under the Health Service Executive and previously under the health boards, we can appreciate that this is a very important development and one that needs to be encouraged, resourced and facilitated in full.

Before asking questions, I join the Chairman in extending good wishes to Dr. Tracey Cooper and thanking her for her service as the first chief executive of HIQA in its inaugural years. She has returned to the land of her birth and we wish her every success and happiness there in her new post. Has Dr. Cooper been formally replaced? When will the post of chief executive be filled?

This report is an annual overview. Other colleagues have expressed an interest by asking about X, Y or Z nursing home. This work has already been done and the report is the collected information provided in 565 reports completed by HIQA in 2013. Given that 566 centres were registered last year, the first question that strikes me is which of the nursing homes got away. That is not a serious question. I am simply noting a slight discrepancy in the statistics the witnesses shared with the joint committee.

Mr. Quinn picked up again on the issues of safe care and support. Of the 8,000 actions indicated, 31% were related to required improvements under the theme of safe care and support. Is it too early to indicate the success rate in meeting these requirements across all of the service centres involved? Thirty-four percent of actions refer to effective care and support. Is there any way of carrying out an interim assessment of how these identified actions are being addressed by the service providers involved, whether private for-profit entities or HSE facilities? Must HIQA await the next opportunity to visit these facilities to determine the way in which the various centres have implemented the required, as opposed to recommended, actions? It will be important to ascertain whether these actions are being acted on. I concur with the statement in the report that all of the indications show that they are being acted on, because all of us will be conscious of the significant improvement that has been made across the board. This is indicative of a willingness on the part of centre managers to ensure actions are taken.

The number of beds available is not sufficient to meet needs. I note that HIQA is anxious to facilitate the swift introduction of high-quality beds to the system. This report details that the agency has granted 21 new registrations in 2013. I understand the figure from the report shows there are slightly fewer than 29,000 beds across the system. While this may not be within its remit, has HIQA carried out an assessment to quantify need? In my limited exposure to this matter, I am aware of cases in which people have encountered great difficulty and a long wait in accessing nursing home care. Has HIQA any idea of the optimum position? Perhaps that is not the correct phrase to employ. What encouragement can be offered, given the opportunities that are available in this sector? My home county has only seven such facilities, while County Louth, a neighbouring county, has twice as many, although its population is also much greater. When one examines the profile of the State one finds that some areas have much greater provision, although their populations are much greater. There is certainly scope for the introduction of further facilities or the extension of current facilities, as I have no doubt there is a need. Can the witnesses add anything to their disposition to facilitating the swift introduction of high-quality beds? Does HIQA engage in proactive encouragement of the centres it visits? Is there a focus on extending provision? Even if that is not to be the case, I ask the witnesses to comment.

Will Mr. Quinn to elaborate on the need for what is described in the report as "timely engagement with residents to plan future health events and end-of-life care preferences". What is being proposed in this context?

Again, I thank both witnesses for appearing and commend HIQA on its continuing work.