HIQA calls for more resources to monitor infections

THE state’s health safety watchdog says it needs extra resources to police new hospital infection prevention and control standards.

Inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) stopped checking hospital hygiene standards nationally about a year and a half ago because it is overstretched.

HIQA’s National Infection Prevention and Control Standards, published in May 2009, are currently with the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, who has yet to approve them.