Report of the investigation into the safety, quality and standards of services provided by the Health Service Executive to patients in the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise Executive Summary

摘要

Executive summaryudIntroduction and background to the investigationudThis report presents the findings of the investigation by the Health Informationudand Quality Authority (the Authority or HIQA) into the governance and assuranceudarrangements that the Health Service Executive (HSE) has in place to ensureudthe safety, quality and standard of services provided to patients in the MidlandudRegional Hospital, Portlaoise (Portlaoise Hospital), Co Laois.udOn 30 January 2014, the RTÉ Investigations Unit broadcast a Prime Timeudprogramme about the tragic deaths of newborn babies in Portlaoise Hospital andudthe subsequent management of patients and their families by the hospital andudthe HSE. Following the broadcast, the then Minister of Health asked the ChiefudMedical Officer of the Department of Health to conduct a preliminary assessmentudof perinatal deaths and related matters from 2006 up to that point in 2014 in theudmaternity services at Portlaoise Hospital.udFollowing publication on 28 February 2014 of the Chief Medical Officer’s report,udthe Board of the Authority considered and agreed to a request from the thenudMinister for Health to conduct an independent investigation into the servicesudprovided by the HSE at Portlaoise Hospital. This statutory HIQA investigation,udannounced by the Authority on 6 March 2014, has been carried out in line with theudAuthority’s published Terms of Reference in order to make recommendations toudimprove the safety, quality and standards of services provided by the HSE.