Patient Safety Act
Patient Safety Act, in plain words.
The Irish law that makes health services tell patients openly when certain serious things go wrong, and tell the regulator too. Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023. In force in Ireland since 26 September 2024.
Who it covers
Every health service provider in Ireland, public and private: hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other services providing care.
What it asks
Open disclosure
Hold an open disclosure meeting with the patient or their relevant person about a notifiable incident, and give them a copy of the written statement of what was disclosed (Part 2).
Notify the regulator in 7 days
HIQA, the Chief Inspector or the Mental Health Commission, as soon as practicable and no later than 7 days from the day the provider was satisfied the incident occurred (sections 27 and 28).
A written procedure
Keep a written statement of the provider's open disclosure procedure (section 11).
Try this in a copy of your own, for two hours, with nothing to sign up for.
Open your own copyAlso in the law
What is notifiable
The incidents in Schedule 1, such as an unanticipated death or surgery on the wrong site or the wrong patient.
Liability
What is said in an open disclosure is no admission of liability in later proceedings.
Offence
Failing to notify is an offence.
The official text
Act No. 10 of 2023 on the Irish Statute Book: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2023/act/10/enacted/en/html
What Eurus keeps
Eurus's law register holds 2 duties from this law, each with what it asks, who it binds, what shows it, and the date it was read against the official text.
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