Written answers

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Department of Health

HIQA Investigations

Photo of Anne FerrisAnne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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436. To ask the Minister for Health in the interest of child protection, if his Department has sought to ensure the publication of the Health Information and Quality Authority report into the death of infants at Portlaoise hospital in County Laois; his views, from a child protection perspective, on the recent reports that the Health Service Executive is attempting to block such publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12758/15]

Photo of Anne FerrisAnne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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443. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the independent status of the Health Information and Quality Authority; his further views on the importance of maintaining the independence of the authority in terms of maintaining public credibility in its effectiveness in reporting and in terms of the legal necessity to allow it sufficient autonomy to carry out its important oversight, auditing and reporting role without political interference or the existence or perception of institutional or other bias; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12757/15]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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469. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the rights of the Health Service Executive with regard to the Health Information and Quality Authority inspections and reports; if the executive has the right and ability to block authority reports; if the executive has blocked or changed any reports in the years 2012 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; if so, which reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12981/15]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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470. To ask the Minister for Health the terms of reference for Health Information and Quality Authority inspections; if they are required to present draft reports to the Health Service Executive before dissemination; if this has occurred in the past; and if so, the number of instances, and on which matters. [12982/15]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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471. To ask the Minister for Health the cost to the Exchequer of running the Health Information and Quality Authority in each of the years 2012 to 2015 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12983/15]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 436, 443 and 469 to 471, inclusive, together.

At the outset I might point out that the HIQA investigation into the infant deaths in Portlaoise Hospital is not a child protection issue.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was established by the Health Act 2007 with responsibility for driving quality, safety and accountability in residential services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland. Since its establishment in 2007 HIQA has carried out its monitoring and inspection functions in a manner that has earned public confidence and trust for its independence and impartiality.

This independence and impartiality is essential to ensuring that its findings and conclusions are complete, and to ensure that its findings are robust and provide the greatest possible learning from any investigation. It is essential that there is confidence in the reliability and accuracy of HIQA findings on the part of the patients and families concerned in particular investigations but also on the part of the healthcare providers and staff who participate in the investigation and at whom findings and recommendations are directed.

In undertaking an investigation under the Health Act 2007 HIQA, at its own instigation or at the request of the Minister for Health, sets the terms of reference for the investigation based on the purpose and circumstances of the investigation. There is no legislative requirement on HIQA to submit draft investigation reports to the HSE in advance of publication. However, it is completely accepted as best practice and due process that relevant parts of drafts of investigation reports and findings are circulated to relevant individuals who participate in investigations before reports are finalised for publication. Any investigation report requires a robust factual accuracy checking process and natural justice and due process procedure.

As Minister for Health I fully respect the statutory independence of HIQA to carry out its functions in an independent and impartial manner. I intend building on that independence and public confidence by seeking to extend and strengthen the regulatory remit of the Authority in the area of healthcare services in the future. I intend bringing proposals to Cabinet in this regard shortly.

The exchequer funding provided to HIQA in the years 2012 to 2015 is as follows:

2012 - €9.000m (Out-turn);

2013 - €10.000m (Out-turn);

2014 - €9.400m (Out-turn); and

2015 - €12.358m (Allocation).

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