Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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3315. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to introduce adult safeguarding legislation to prevent abuse and neglect of adults wherever it occurs; the legislative timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41338/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Safeguarding adults at risk of abuse, harm and neglect by others in the context of their interactions with the health sector is a key objective of the Department of Health, every statutory body under its aegis, and every health and social care service that interacts with such adults. In the health sector, a framework of standards, policies and procedures for safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse, harm, neglect, and exploitation within the sector is in place, and further measures are being developed to strengthen this framework. The framework includes:

- joint national adult safeguarding standards developed by HIQA and the Mental Health Commission, approved by the Minister for Health and launched in 2019;

- the significant inspection and other regulatory powers of HIQA and the Mental Health Commission in relation to the quality and safety of healthcare and social care provision generally (under the Health Act 2007 and the Mental Health Acts);

- the HSE’s national operational adult safeguarding policy Safeguarding Vulnerable People at Risk of Abuse – Policy and Procedures (2014), which is in place primarily in all HSE and HSE-funded social care settings, and

- a range of structures and processes established by the HSE to support and further develop its national operational adult safeguarding policy, including 9 social work-led Safeguarding and Protection Teams, a

- National Safeguarding Office providing policy direction and training, and a planned revision of the operational policy which will expand the policy outside of its current social care remit to all HSE and HSE-funded services.

To strengthen this framework, my Department is currently developing a national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector. This national sectoral policy will be in place in all private, voluntary, and public health and social care settings and services and will be underpinned by any legislation that may be required.

In common with other projects, there has been some degree of disruption arising from my Department’s and the wider health system’s lead role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, significant policy development work has been undertaken to date, and my Department, assisted by a high-level Steering Group has now completed the key stakeholder consultation and primary evidence development phases of this major and complex policy project. The Department is now preparing for a public consultation exercise and costing study with a view to submitting a costed draft policy to Government for approval during 2021 and, will thereafter, prepare any legislation required to underpin the approved policy.