Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the cost of hospital hygiene audits to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10879/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The HSE commissioned national hygiene audits in 2005 and 2006. They continue to conduct audits on a local basis in relation to infection control, including hygiene. I wish to advise the Deputy that, due to public service industrial action involving members of IMPACT, the Department has not been in a position to obtain information from the HSE in relation to the costs incurred.

In addition, the Health Information and Quality Authority, which was established in 2007, carried out a National Hygiene Services Quality Review which assessed 50 acute hospitals against the National Quality Hygiene Standards in 2007 and 2008. In 2009 the Authority continued to monitor compliance with their Standards and this included a number of unannounced visits to randomly selected acute hospitals with this series of inspections focusing specifically on the day to day delivery of hygiene services, particularly in the areas of cleanliness, hand hygiene and waste and linen management practices. This work was primarily carried out by staff of the Authority. These staff work on a range of programmes and activities and costs relating to this aspect of their work is not separately recorded but the costs are included in the overall expenditure of the Authority. As a result, it is not possible to provide the full cost of the Authority's reviews of hygiene in public hospitals.