HSE standards - Dangerous risks for patients

On the very day that Health Minister Mary Harney introduced new guidelines on nursing home standards, the Government was accused of “chronic negligence” of elderly people, and faced a new controversy on illegal nursing home charges.

Also, she has sought a full inquiry into the death of a 14-year-old girl from the Health Executive Service (HSE), whose chief executive Brendan Drumm made an extraordinary admission.

It was to the effect that patients are not safe in the health service because of the level of overtime that doctors had to work.