David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 16:

In page 12, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following:

“(2)(a) A health services provider shall ensure and make every effort to ensure that the patient and relevant person are informed as to the potential for engaging and sourcing a patient advocate.

(b) A health services provider shall ensure a relevant patient is aware of the Patient Advocacy Service, and shall ensure the involvement of the Patient Advocacy Service where a patient wants to avail of such services.

(c) A health services provider shall ensure the inclusion of the patient and/or relevant person’s chosen advocate, whether of the Patient Advocacy Service or otherwise, throughout the disclosure process as a relevant person.”.

This amendment seeks to ensure we provide greater assurances of access to patient advocacy services. It also seeks to place obligations on the service provider to make a disclosure to ensure that a patient has been fully engaged and made aware of the possibility of patient advocacy services. We all know that patient advocacy services play an important role and this is to ensure that there is as much information given to patients as possible, and that they are fully made aware of what advocacy services are available in their respective areas.

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