Opposition calls for €30m patient safety watchdog

A €30 MILLION patients watchdog has been jointly proposed by Fine Gael and Labour.

Both parties yesterday presented plans for a new Patient Safety Authority (PSA). They said it would put patients’ needs at the heart of the health service.

Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbitte, who yesterday launched the ‘Patients First’ plan said the new body would have wide-ranging powers of oversight, registration, audit and inspection in Irish hospitals and residential centres for children, elderly people and people with disabilities.

The PSA, they said, would have powers to register every hospital in Ireland and set national minimal standards.

In addition, it would monitor and audit those facilities and carry out regular inspections of nursing homes and children’s residences on a regular basis.

Significantly, the parties propose that the PSA will have power to investigate complaints, of its own volition if necessary, including unexplained deaths.

The launch yesterday formed part of a three-pronged attack yesterday by FG and Labour on Government patient protection policies. At leaders’ questions yesterday, Mr Kenny criticised the fact that nobody would be made accept responsibility for the fact that 105 people died in Leas Cross.

“I am concerned that this may be going on in other places,” he said.

“Old people were maltreated and they were neglected and they died.’’

He challenged the four ministers in Health to state their knowledge or otherwise of the situation.

But last night, Health Minister Mary Harney defended her record during a FG-Lab private member’s debate. She also said the imminent establishment of the Health Information and Quality Authority and the Social Services Inspectorate would provide robust standards and protections for patients.

Yesterday, Mr Kenny said the PSA would have real teeth to prevent the occurrence of incidents like the death of Pat Joe Walsh in Monaghan Hospital, unacceptable practices in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and the Leas Cross scandal.

“It will put the patient first consistently and constantly. It’s blatantly obvious that the system we have is not working,” said Mr Kenny.

Mr Rabbitte drew attention to another new provision that would aid whistleblowers who are worried about wrongdoing in their place of work.

One of the proposals that may prove contentious is the plan to merge the Mental Health Commission (MHC) into the PSA. The commission has been a huge success since its foundation.

FG health spokesman Liam Twomey defended the proposal on the grounds that it would not dilute the commission’s efficacy but that its independent role and its powers would become the norm across the health service.

Labour’s spokesperson Liz McManus said she sought an integrated approach.

“We want to reinforce the message that mental health is a part of the health services,” she said.