Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 683: To ask the Minister for Health the resource implications, in terms of staff, funding, and ancillary support, of implementing the recommendations of the Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, report in full nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25681/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 684: To ask the Minister for Health if he has met the Health Service Executive, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association, the Irish Medical Organisation, the Irish Nurses Organisation and other organisations regarding the implications of the Tallaght Hospital report; the nature of these discussions; if any decisions were made arising from the discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25682/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 683 and 684 together.

I want to offer my deepest sympathies to the family concerned. We must never forget that this report is first and foremost about patient safety and that it all began because of the death of a patient on a trolley in a corridor adjacent to the Emergency Department. I have just received the report and I have not had discussions with any of the groups referred to by the Deputy. I believe however that patients in all of our acute hospitals need the assurance that this matter is being dealt with in an effective way, that lessons have been learned and that Quality Assurance Systems are being put in place across the country. This report as an important element in driving the Health Reform Programme which is focusing on and prioritising patient safety and best governance. The HIQA report gives us a template for hospital governance as we move to the establishment of the new Hospital Groups to be established this year.

Many changes have already happened in Tallaght Hospital and the report acknowledges this. The practice of leaving patients waiting on trolleys for admission in a corridor adjacent to the Emergency Department was clinically unsafe and completely unacceptable. This has been stopped. The report found that there was no clarity as to who was providing medical supervision of these patients. This is completely unacceptable. For that reason the Chief Medical Officer has referred the report to the Medical Council and An Bord Altranais to ask them to address the significant issues that arise.

The CEO of HIQA wrote to me last November because of her concerns about the deficits in governance and management at the hospital. As a result a new interim Board, chaired by Sir Keith Pearson was appointed last December. A new CEO is in place who is building a new management team including clinical leadership.

Safe quality health care is a fundamental principle of the reform programme. I have approved the HIQA National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare to underpin the development of quality safe healthcare services. The National Standards also describe what capacity and capability factors service providers require to implement these Standards. Service providers, including the private (independent) service providers, can use the National Standards as a framework to organise, manage and deliver their services safely. It is also important to recognise that the staff of the hospital have a hugely important role in responding to the challenges ahead and in restoring and supporting this Hospital to achieve its potential.