Hiqa calls for greater regulations in nursing home care

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Philip Ryan Twitter Email

March 23 2021 02:30 AM

The country’s health service watchdog has called for more regulations to be introduced for nursing home care.

The Health and Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) will appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee to discuss regulations governing long-term residential care.

In his opening statement to the committee, Hiqa CEO Phelim Quinn will call for stricter rules for nursing home providers.

Mr Quinn will tell the committee the “practices and the models” underpinning residential care services which were “previously acceptable are no longer so”.

“It is important to note that Covid-19 has not in itself signalled the need for regulatory reform; rather it has shone a spotlight on an issue that was already in need of urgent consideration.

“As a consequence of our experience as a regulator in the sector, Hiqa has submitted its views to Government on how regulations and enforcement in the interim of wider regulatory reform could be enhanced with a view to strengthening key areas related to the pandemic; for example, infection control, staffing, governance and clinical oversight,” Mr Quinn adds.

Meanwhile, Department of Health Assistant Secretary Dr Kathleen MacLellan will tell the Health Committee that her department is in “broad agreement” with Hiqa’s call for more regulation of the nursing home sector.

“Over the last number of months, the Department has sanctioned additional inspectorate staff for Hiqa to support a sustained increase in the frequency of inspections,” she says.

Dr MacLellan says legislative work is ongoing in the Department of Health to introduce new laws which will give nursing home inspectors more enforcement powers.