Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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692. To ask the Minister for Health if he has informed himself and can provide data for each of the past five years regarding the number of complaints reported to the HSE and HIQA with respect to end of life care for elderly people in both public and private healthcare settings; if he can provide a breakdown on the number of investigations which took place on foot of reported complaints for both public and private healthcare settings; how many of these complaints were upheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22988/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) regulates designated centres for older people, people with a disability and special care units. HIQA also regulates medical ionising radiation exposure and monitors standards in acute and community hospitals and some children’s social care services. HIQA does not currently have a remit to monitor private hospitals against the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare.

HIQA welcomes information in relation to designated centres that come within its regulatory remit. As a regulator, HIQA has no formal legal role in examining individual complaints, but it does take into account all information it receives - including complaints from the public- when carrying out inspections. If a concern is raised about a nursing home, HIQA reviews all information received to inform its on-going risk-based regulation activities.

HIQA has advised my Department that all unsolicited information received is acknowledged, logged and examined by the Authority. If the information relates to a service within HIQA’s remit, it is reviewed by an inspector to establish if the information received indicates a risk to the safety, effectiveness, and management of the service, and the day-to-day care that the resident or patient receives. Unsolicited information (UROI) allows HIQA to:

- ensure services continue to meet high standards of care for patients and residents,

- consider how well providers handle complaints and use them as opportunities to improve care for patients and residents,

- identify any trends or patterns that could indicate that something unacceptable is happening in a service, and

- make decisions when registering and or renewing the registration of designated centres.

If HIQA considers that the service provider may not be compliant with the regulations and or national standards, it can respond by:

- asking the service provider to submit additional information on the issue,

- requesting a plan from the service provider outlining how the issue will be investigated and addressed,

- using the information on inspection, and

- carrying out an unannounced inspection to assess the quality and safety of the care being provided in the service.

In addition, where the information indicates that people may be at immediate risk, HIQA will use its full legal powers and report the incident, where appropriate, to the Gardaí, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) or the Health Service Executive (HSE’s) Adult Safeguarding Team.

The table below shows the number of UROIs received between 2020 and 2023, about an acute or community hospital that included end of life as a theme:

Part of the Deputy’s question which is an operational matter for the HSE has been referred to the Executive for direct reply.