Patient Safety Bill gets Cabinet seal of approval

HEALTH Minister Simon Harris yesterday announced Government approval for the Patient Safety Bill, paving the way for mandatory disclosure for ‘serious patient safety incidents’.

The Bill, which will now be sent to the Health Committee, will enforce the rule that patients must be told if there is a safety incident involving their care. It will also put into law that serious errors must be reported to the appropriate regulatory authority, such as Hiqa or the Mental Health Commission. These incidents would include errors such as wrong site surgery, maternal deaths, and a patient dying or developing a serious disability due to a mistake when issuing medication or a diagnosis.

It would also ensure that if any error is made during a screening process, the patient will have to be informed. Minister Harris said the approval by Government is a ‘major milestone’ in improving the safety and quality of the health service.

The Bill will also extend the powers and responsibilities of Hiqa in public hospitals to private hospitals.