Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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563. To ask the Minister for Health how he intends to strengthen HIQA's enforcement powers to regulate acute general hospitals against nationally mandated standards under the Health Act 2007; how serious non-compliant findings reported to the HSE and the Department of health are addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10992/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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HIQA was established as an independent statutory authority under the Health Act 2007 to promote safety and quality in the provision of health and social care services for the benefit of the health and welfare of the public. The Health Act 2007 confers the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) with statutory responsibility for monitoring the quality and safety of healthcare services against national standards.

HIQA, in monitoring against National Standards, provide a rating as to whether services are compliant, substantially compliant, partially compliant, or non-compliant against the standards. They report publicly on their findings. This is to share learning and provide assurance to the public where findings are good, and to act as a catalyst for improvement in situations where standards are not being met.

Although HIQA currently do not have enforcement powers to force providers to comply with the national standards in the event of non-compliance, HIQA request service providers, including the HSE, to outline how they will address the findings to make things safer for patients within a timeframe acceptable to management of the risk. It is HIQA’s practice to monitor the implementation of the compliance plans.

In the event that services do not address the concerns, HIQA may escalate the issues to senior levels within the HSE to be addressed, or if necessary to the Department and Minister.

Monitoring against standards is a powerful tool for HIQA, and their reports carry weight and consequences for service providers. The Department and I continuously engage and liaise with HIQA to explore options in relation to expanding the oversight role of the Authority to improve quality and safety throughout health and social care services.