Welcome to our newsletter.
Our first HIQA News of 2024 reflects the wide array of work that we have been engaged with during the first two months of the year. This included important reviews and assessments in the area of health policy, inspecting and monitoring health and social care services, promoting the rights of people using services, such as through marking International Care Day and much more.
We have commenced a review of the possible benefits of introducing a strengthened flu vaccine for those aged 65 years and older as part of Ireland’s vaccination programme.
This work has been undertaken at the request of the Department of Health to inform the Minister for Health’s decision on potentially adding enhanced flu vaccines to the national immunisation programme.
Last year, we worked closely with COPE Foundation to support a group of residents to move from living in a congregated setting to their new, smaller homes in the community in time for Christmas.
This month we marked the ninth International Care Day, the world’s largest celebration of the rights of children and young people with experience of care. This includes children and young people who were or are being cared for by family members with the support of social workers, foster carers, or children and young people from children’s homes and residential units.
To support the development of a new national rare disease strategy for Ireland, we have published a review of national rare disease strategies in selected countries.
A rare disease is defined by the European Commission as a condition that affects fewer than 5 in 10,000 people. There are more than 6,000 known rare diseases, which in total are estimated to affect approximately 6% of Europeans, or approximately 300,000 Irish people.
Our Chief Inspector of Social Services, Carol Grogan, and Head of Children’s Services, Eva Boyle, attended the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) event, ‘A Decade of Progress: Building a Better Future Together’, in Dublin Castle in February.
Our work regulating and monitoring the activity of nursing homes is ongoing, however it is also important that we take the opportunity to reflect on the developments and the work that took place during 2023.
“Quality Healthcare Data in Ireland: A Revolution or an Evolution?” was the theme of the National Office for Clinical Audit’s annual conference which took place this month, and members of our Health Information and National Care Experience Programme teams attended the event where they presented posters on an array of topics.
We recently completed a review of international advances in clinical practice guidance for healthcare professionals. This review aims to ensure that standards for this guidance in Ireland continue to consider the latest innovations and best practices.
Following a lot of hard work by staff throughout the organisation, in December we were awarded certification for the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standard, meaning that HIQA is an ISO certified organisation.
