Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I agree that we need a cultural shift but it will only happen with a more significant and a mandatory obligation. Providing an option to a clinician or an organisation not to give the information to the patient that he or she absolutely should be given undermines medical ethics and everything around the provision of medical services. If someone has made a mistake that impacts on an individual's personal life, his or her medical outcome and his or her potential livelihood, he or she should have that information. There should not be any option to withhold that information from the person. Therefore, there should absolutely be a mandatory obligation. The cultural shift will only happen by putting a greater and a positive obligation on the person or organisation to provide the information in question to the patient. This is why the cultural shift will only happen with the mandatory aspect to the statutory framework, not providing an option. I do not think it will happen if it is optional.