Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when private medical facilities will be subject to regulation and inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45536/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance, which I established as part of the Government's commitment to ensuring patient safety and quality in our health service, recommended a mandatory licensing system to cover both public and private healthcare providers. The Commission further recommended that the licensing system should be implemented on a phased basis, starting with acute hospitals and other facilities based on analysis of potential risk to patient safety. These recommendations were accepted by Government in January, 2009. In line with the recommendations, my Department is now developing legislative proposals for a mandatory licensing system to cover both public and private healthcare providers, based on explicit standards to be set by the Health Information and Quality Authority. I intend to bring such proposals to Government next year.