Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The professional bodies have their own guidelines. In his latest report, or perhaps it was in a conversation I had with him before he published that report, Dr. Scally stated that some of those guidelines should be better and tighter. This is another matter that can be examined.

HIQA's standards are being updated with a view to the new national framework. We have the patient advocacy service, which Deputy Cullinane references in some of his amendments. This service is being invested in more and its remit is expanding. Yesterday, Dr. Henry launched a new HSE process, entitled "Better Together: The Health Services Patient Engagement Roadmap", which is concerned with creating a culture within our public health service whereby our healthcare professionals work hand in hand with patients. Is all of this perfect and has everything been done? No, but I hope that colleagues will agree that it represents a real effort by the HSE to do things differently and to acknowledge the shortcomings of the past.

This brings us back to an earlier point. Given the circumstances, I would be open to amending the Bill to make it an obligation that the patient be told. While I accept there are different views on programmatic audits, the Bill's provisions will at least address the fact that such audits are for learning. We can have different views on whether they should be anonymised. For every discordance, all patients on every screening programme would be told that this appropriate process, which they were in control of, was available. Part 5 would make it mandatory that the results be disclosed to the patients.

We are on Report Stage. I have had a quick chat with the officials about whether we can make a simple amendment or if it will require something more complex. I would need a little time - I do not know how much yet - to discuss this matter and for the Department to work through it. One option might be to amend the Bill in the Seanad, after which it would return to the Dáil. Another option might be to amend it next week in the Dáil. With the best will in the world, and if we were all agreeable to making such an amendment, my sense is that it would probably push the Bill's final stages and its signing by the President into January. We could do it quickly. I would be curious to know what Deputies think.

No one is trying to play politics this evening. We have to get this right. We cannot do everything that everyone wants - various Deputies have been clear on what they believe and we have heard the views of patient advocates - but there may be ways of amending the Bill to reflect some of what people have called for. However, I will not reflect calls where the international expert advice I have states that the patient safety call means anonymised audits.

I am curious about colleagues' opinions. While we may get the Bill through next week, that may not be possible, given the timelines. We have all made commitments. When Deputy McDonald asked the Taoiseach, he gave a commitment. He took it seriously, which is one of the reasons we are debating the Bill now and are scheduled to debate it again next week. If we all agreed it would be okay to move the Bill to January, we should consider doing so.

See this speech in context