Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for not being here for the presentation, but I read the documentation furnished to us. On the issue of reviewing incidents in which something goes wrong in a hospital, I mentioned earlier today a case in which it was decided within the hospital that there should be a review and two people were to do the review, but it was then decided that there should be an external review, and an external reviewer was appointed.

Someone in administration up along the line has now overruled the appointment of the external reviewer. This has been done without any logical explanation in real terms. Eight or nine months after the incident occurred, no information has been given to the people concerned. This type of delay is going to lead to litigation. It is happening within the HSE, particularly in maternity services. Some bigger units are dealing with such volumes that there seems to be a delay on each occasion. Those who are trying to do the review are reluctant to talk to the parents or provide information to them. It does not seem that this is being dealt with sufficiently quickly. I wonder if something can be done to make sure this is dealt with in a timely manner. Can people be assured that these cases will be concluded within a particular time period? It does not matter whether the period in question is two months or three months, as long as there is a deadline.

I would like to mention a second issue, about which I have previously spoken.