Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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330. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the legislation requiring mandatory disclosure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51643/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government approved the general scheme of the Patient Safety Bill on 5 July 2018. The Bill provides the legislative framework for a number of important patient safety issues, including providing in legislation for mandatory open disclosure of “serious patient safety incidents” and the notification of such incidents to the appropriate regulatory body and the State Claims Agency. The Bill also empowers the Minister for Health to issue guidance with respect to the undertaking of clinical audit against explicit clinical standards on a national basis, as well as the extension of the Health Information and Quality Authority’s remit to private hospitals.

With respect to the mandatory open disclosure of “serious patient safety incidents”, it is intended that the Bill will provide assurance with regard to transparency of reporting to patients and/or their families, and act as a platform for the dissemination of learning across the whole health system through the requirement for mandatory external reporting by health service providers to the appropriate authority.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health undertook pre-legislative scrutiny of the Patient Safety Bill on 26 September 2018, while the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to Government is working with my officials in drafting of the Patient Safety Bill. In parallel to the drafting process, my officials also continue to engage in wide consultation with key stakeholders. It is expected that the final draft of the Bill will be brought to Government for approval early next year.