Plan to reform health service hailed as ‘quietly revolutionary’

A PLAN to overhaul the health service published this week has been described as “quietly revolutionary”, by a leading health consultant.

Managing director of Prospectus Strategy Consultants, Vincent Barton said the Report of the Commission on Patient Safety contained a number of challenging recommendations that would require “a massive cultural change” in the Irish healthcare system to be implemented effectively.

“The report is quietly revolutionary and is strongly critical of the deficiencies in the current hospital system. But one of the most crucial aspects of it is the strong recommendations that someone has to be held responsible for the quality of care provided,” he said.

Mr Barton said that in other corporate settings, particularly in Britain, chief executives and board members are held responsible for any adverse incidents that happen under their watch.

“If this were to be applied to the Irish hospital system, as recommended, then it will pose a real challenge to the leadership in the hospitals and healthcare settings. There will no longer be a hiding place and the buck will ultimately stop at the CEO’s or board’s desk,” he said.

Mr Barton said while some boards and chief executives around the country might see this as finger pointing, the reality is that accountability in the Irish healthcare system has to be made transparent.

For such a transformation to take place, Mr Barton said that strong political leadership and determination was needed.

“When the compulsory wearing of safety belts and the smoking ban arose, it was because of strong political leadership in the face of traditional opposition. The same will now apply to a substantial number of issues in the healthcare system. It must not be about cost, but change,” he said.

Mr Barton said for the critical components of the report to be implemented as soon as possible all facets of the healthcare system must co-operate.

This view was echoed by John McCormack, of the Irish Cancer Society.

“I think it’s important that all the groups involved in regulating clinicians, all professional bodies actually co-operate with the recommendations in the report,” he said.

Chief executive of the Health Information and Quality Authority, Dr Tracey Cooper, said any healthcare facilities not meeting the licensing standards set out in the report could be liable to sanctions. These could include custodial sentences, fines and the ability to close a centre not meeting the required standards.