HIQA have to be held accountable for lack of referrals of abuse allegations
Labour Health Spokesperson Alan Kelly TD, has called on Ministers Harris and McGrath to investigate HIQA’s handling of abuse allegations.
Commenting today Deputy Kelly said:
“HIQA have serious questions to answer on the rates of referrals they make to An Garda Síochána and other agencies when they receive allegations of abuse.
“With 4,500 complaints made in relation to facilities for disabled persons, and nearly 900 relating to nursing homes, it is almost unbelievable that in 2017 HIQA felt that only one of these cases needed to be referred to An Garda Síochána.
“Our most vulnerable citizens deserve care which respects their dignity and ensures their safety. I know the majority of people working in care are doing their very best and provide their patients with the best of care, however, where there are failings, HIQA have to take complaints from families seriously.
“HIQA say that most of the complaints ‘have not been validated’. I find myself asking, how many of those complaints would have been validated had they been passed to the relevant authorities for further investigation.
“I am calling on the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, and the Minister for State for Disability Issues, to ask HIQA to explain their decision not to refer more of these reports of abuse to relevant authorities.”