Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

183. To ask the Minister for Health when the work of the Department with the Health Service Executive and the State Claims Agency to develop a risk-based approach to provision of indemnity to services and professionals was completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48729/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Action 7 of "Future Health - A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012 - 2015" and in turn Action 7.3.1 of the Health Service Reform Programme, states that 'the Department of Health will work with the HSE and the State Claims Agency to develop a risk based approach to the provision of indemnity to services and professionals'. In effect, this means that the Department will work with the HSE and the State Claims Agency to ensure that the indemnity provided to services aligns with health systems policy. Good progress has been made in implementing this Action.

The enhanced IT system, the National Adverse Event Management System (NAEMS), developed by the State Claims Agency, is an essential part of the infrastructure required to provide the data on risk, which is necessary to implement this action. The NAEMS went live in June, 2014 and is now being rolled out on a phased basis to all users. An Information Governance Group, chaired by the Chief Medical Officer of my Department, has been established to provide oversight on the implementation and use of NAEMS.

Legislation is also required to enable the policy of a risk based approach to indemnity to be implemented. This legislation is currently being drafted.