3149. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Health if she will introduce a mandatory system whereby reviews of residents' medical notes are required as part of all nursing home audits and inspections; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60042/26]

The Chief Inspector of Social Services, in the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), is the national independent regulator of all designated centres for older people in Ireland, including public community nursing units and private nursing homes.

Department of Health officials directed this query to HIQA who have advised the following:

“The current legal framework, which underpins the inspection and regulation of nursing homes by inspectors of social services, allows for a review of residents’ medical notes that are available in the nursing home.

• Regulation 5: Individual assessment and care plan and Regulation 6: Health Care sets out what a registered provider must do to meet the health and social care needs of each resident.

• Schedule 3 sets out which medical records must be retained in a nursing home and available for review.

Inspectors will regularly review such records as part of the inspection of a nursing home.”