Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. I join in welcoming the Minister and his team to our committee and I thank him for his continued engagement.

A few weeks ago we did a whole body of work here at this committee around sepsis. We had Dr. Colm Henry, the chief clinical officer, here and earlier that day families who had lost people through sepsis in the hospital system attended the committee and presented harrowing evidence to us. Dr. Henry outlined the sepsis protocols. They were very clear, sound and positive and they need to be because far too many people lose their lives in hospitals each year. The one thing I want to briefly home in on as we get under way is that prior to going to that meeting, I read a great deal of material because I have no medical training whatsoever. I do not think many of us on this committee have. We rely very much on accurate evidence, information and briefings. I discovered the previous night that if someone has had sepsis, there is a 60% chance of that recurring when they are in a hospital environment and they are at a very high risk if they re-present in a hospital environment.

I asked Dr. Henry about the sepsis protocol when someone is being triaged and if they are asked a simple question as to whether they have ever had sepsis before. He said "No" and that it is not in the protocols. Anybody who has been triaged in the hospital system answers the questions they are asked. We do not have medical training and sometimes people leave out critical information because they are only answering what they are asked. On the simple question I asked, Dr. Henry said he would look at it, and I am sure he is looking at it.

I want the Minister to ask if a simple question can be inserted in those protocols, which could potentially detect many people who are at higher risk, could allow the medical professionals to monitor that person more closely when they are in the hospital system and, very importantly, could save lives. Could the Minister follow up on that issue first, please?