Minster for Health Stephen Donnelly has today marked World Patient Safety Day 2024 by announcing that the Patient Safety Act will be commenced in the coming days.
Minister Donnelly, said:
“I am delighted to be commencing this landmark piece of patient safety legislation in recognition of World Patient Safety Day. The Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 provides a legislative framework for several important patient safety issues, including the mandatory open disclosure of a list of specified serious patient safety incidents that must be disclosed to the patient and/or their family.
“The Act also provides for the mandatory external notification of those same events to the appropriate regulatory body. This is another great stride forward in patient safety and putting the patients’ needs at the heart of the health service”.
The Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 was signed into law by the President last year, and a number of preparatory steps required to enable commencement have now been completed. These included the addition of a new module to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to record notifications made under the Act, and the development of a new comprehensive training programme for all Health Service Executive (HSE) staff. The Act also makes a number of amendments to the Health Act 2007, including the provision for the expansion of HIQA’s remit into private hospital services.
The Minister made his announcement as a number of events take place this week under the World Health Organization (WHO) campaign and global action plan for patient safety. This includes a conference at Dublin Castle organised by the National Patient Safety Office (NPSO), in collaboration with the HSE and Patients for Patient Safety Ireland.
Today’s NPSO conference, under the theme ‘Think Global, Act Local’, brings together patient advocates, health professionals and service providers, regulators, researchers and policymakers to discuss developments in patient safety. Discussions will focus on the new health regions, as well as how patients can be empowered to benefit from digital health innovations coming to the Irish health service.
The event will also hear from the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies on the recent international evidence on improving the safety and quality of health services, as well as discussions on the WHO theme for this year ‘Improving Diagnosis for Patient Safety’.
A new Patient Safety Rights Charter, launched by the WHO earlier this year, will be highlighted at the conference, as well as a resource to improve communications between patients and their healthcare provider – ‘#MyHealthMyVoice’ – which has been developed by the HSE in collaboration with Patients for Patient Safety Ireland and the Department of Health.
Chief Nursing Officer, Rachel Kenna, added:
“World Patient Safety Day provides us all with an opportunity to reflect on how we can continue to strengthen the safety and quality of our health services. There are many important developments underway in our health service, from the new health regions to the digital health agenda.
“These reforms present new opportunities to engage with patients and healthcare staff on delivering high quality care and experiences, and today’s NPSO event will bring a focus to how we work together to achieve ongoing improvements to our health services.”
NPSO Director, Kate O’Flaherty, said:
“The theme of this year’s NPSO conference, ‘Think Global, Act Local’ supports the purpose of World Patient Safety Day to raise global awareness about patient safety and encourage united action to reduce patient harm. Continued engagement and partnership with patients and their advocates is central to achieving crucial patient safety goals.
“At today’s event we will highlight the new WHO Patient Safety Rights Charter as another valuable tool to build patient-centred healthcare services and improve patient safety, as well as resources developed by the HSE and partners to promote the WHO campaign and this year’s theme of improving diagnosis for patient safety.”
