Stephen Donnelly

The Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 was signed into law by the President last year, and a number of preparatory steps required to enable commencement have now been completed, the Department of Health said.

These included the addition of a new module to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to record notifications made under the Act, and the development of a new comprehensive training programme for all Health Service Executive (HSE) staff.

The Act also makes a number of amendments to the Health Act 2007, including the provision for the expansion of HIQA’s remit into private hospital services.

Health minister Stephen Donnelly said: “I am delighted to be commencing this landmark piece of patient safety legislation in recognition of World Patient Safety Day.

“The Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 provides a legislative framework for several important patient safety issues, including the mandatory open disclosure of a list of specified serious patient safety incidents that must be disclosed to the patient and/or their family.

“The Act also provides for the mandatory external notification of those same events to the appropriate regulatory body. This is another great stride forward in patient safety and putting the patients’ needs at the heart of the health service.”