Audit needed into Covid-19 data reporting
Labour Party Leader and Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has called for an audit how Covid-19 cases are reported and collated.
Deputy Kelly said:
“There has been much confusion today over the late reporting of Covid-19 figures.
“It seems the delayed reporting of 244 legacy cases dating as far back as March has been attributed to the Mater Hospital. Yet the Mater claim they have been reporting cases to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre daily.
“We need to find out what the blockage is here. Is there an issue with how the information has been collated or is there a problem with the way the Mater Hospital has been relaying the information to the HPSA?
“There has been some pretty serious charges levelled at the Mater Hospital over this issue, which they refute.
“We need to find out exactly what the issue has been with the collation so as to ensure it won’t be replicated over the coming weeks and months.
“We are all very invested in the data at the centre of this as it guides how we can move forward as a country, so it needs to be accurate and reported in a timely way.
“We need assurances that all hospital groups are aware of their obligations under law to report instances of infectious diseases.
“The Minister for Health must instruct HIQA to conduct an audit of all hospitals to ensure there are no instances of delayed or failed reporting.
“The HSE also needs to set out exactly how data is collated by the HPSA and if there is a missing link that led to this delayed reporting of figures.”