Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last night we debated an important Bill on patient safety. How can we have a good hospital system if the HSE investigates itself? Why can we not have an independent body to investigate serious complaints against hospitals like University Hospital Limerick? Some 70 health professionals - the Tánaiste is also a health professional - came forward on Q-Pulse to report incidents. Some 140 incidents related to one medical practitioner, yet none of them has been investigated. When they are investigated, it is by the HSE, which has people on every board. No matter which way you go, there are HSE representatives, past and present, on it. We need an independent public body to investigate serious incidents in our hospitals.

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