Written answer
Nursing Homes
Nursing homes must report serious injuries, deaths, and alleged or confirmed abuse to HIQA within two working days and maintain safeguarding procedures.
3545. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if nursing homes are required to inform HIQA or any other relevant authorities, where there are circumstances giving rise to issues surrounding possible neglect, injury or safeguarding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61717/26]
Comment on this
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.
The regulations governing designated centres for older people place clear obligations on registered providers to notify the Chief Inspector of certain incidents and safeguarding concerns. These requirements are intended to support the protection, welfare and safety of residents.
Under the statutory notification requirements applicable to designated centres for older people, the provider of a nursing home must notify the Chief Inspector of any serious incident or injury to a resident that requires hospital admission or results in death, as well as any alleged or confirmed incident of abuse involving a resident. The time frame for the submission of these notifications is within two working days.
In addition, providers are required to have robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place to protect residents from abuse and neglect, to investigate concerns promptly, and to take appropriate action where risks are identified.
Information received through these statutory notifications contributes to the Chief Inspector’s ongoing monitoring and risk-based regulation of designated centres. Where appropriate, providers may also be required to engage with other agencies or authorities, including safeguarding services and An Garda Síochána, depending on the nature and circumstances of the concern
Providers are required to comply with their statutory safeguarding and reporting obligations. These arrangements support effective regulatory oversight and help to protect residents from harm.