Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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131. To ask the Minister for Health when he will meet the family of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45587/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I was very sorry to learn that the late individual referred to by the Deputy was left exposed for a period of time on the Whitworth ward in Beaumont Hospital and that his dignity was compromised. It is not the standard of care that anyone aspires to.

You will appreciate that I receive a large volume of requests to meet individual patients or their families to discuss their cases. It is not practical for me to do so in all cases and as you know, I do not have the authority to intervene in individual patient cases anyway. I am concerned about creating the impression or expectation that I can. That is not my role and in some cases it is even unlawful to do so.

You will know from the recent Patient Safety Conference about my plans to extend the remit of the Ombudsman to examine clinical matters where the complainant is not satisfied with the response or the hospital or provider. This will require a change in legislation but I am committed to this proposal. The Ombudsman can already examine non-clinical issues.

In this particular case, I think the most appropriate course of action would be a meeting with the hospital CEO or Chairman to discuss the report in the first instance as any changes will have to be made by the hospital which has its own management and board.

If on foot of that meeting there are still issues that fall into my remit and could be resolved by my personal attention, I shall be happy to reconsider the request on that basis.

I have asked the hospital to provide me with a copy of the report so that I can read it. They may need to ask permission from the next of kin to this.

As the Deputy will be aware, I cannot comment in detail on individual cases. I have no access to individual patient information which is confidential.