National survey on a Framework for Open Disclosure in Healthcare in Ireland

The Minister for Health established the Independent Patient Safety Council in 2020 to act as a resource to provide advice and guidance to inform policy direction for the Department of Health in relation to patient safety policy. More information on the Council and its membership is available here.

The Minister for Health has requested that the Council undertakes an examination of open disclosure policy in healthcare at the national level as the first item of its work programme in 2020 and makes recommendations to him in relation to the development of a national framework regarding open disclosure in healthcare.

Open disclosure in the context of Irish healthcare is the term that has been adopted in Ireland to describe the broad processes which relate to patients being informed of patient safety incidents which arose in relation to the healthcare which they have received.

What is an open disclosure framework?

The framework aims to provide unity and consistency of approaches to open disclosure across public and private health service providers, service and health professional regulators, healthcare educators and other relevant bodies and organisations. The framework will provide an overarching approach and can be drawn from to suit the needs of the various organisations.

It will address issues such as high-level principles, common approaches to support and harness positive open disclosure cultures and behaviours and identify mechanisms and initiatives that support the consistent, coherent and sustainable implementation of open disclosure.

National Survey October 2020

In April 2020, Crowe Consultants were commissioned by the National Patient Safety Office, Department of Health on behalf of the Independent Patient Safety Council to;

• Undertake research and consultation on “What is a coherent approach to open disclosure in healthcare in Ireland and how can it be ensured that open disclosure is implemented and effectively embedded in Irish health services?” and
• Support the Independent Patient Safety Council to produce recommendations on principles, approaches and the implementation of open disclosure in healthcare in the Irish context.

As part of this work, Crowe is conducting a survey of patients; their families, carers, and/or other support persons; organisations who advocate and support patients, families, and carers; and the wider public in relation to their experience and views on open disclosure in relation to patient safety incidents. This anonymous and confidential survey can be accessed at the following link:

National Survey on a Framework for Open Disclosure in Healthcare in Ireland

We invite you to participate in the survey and to pass the link on to any others who may be interested in contributing to this.

If you have any questions about the project or the work of the Council, you can contact

National Patient Safety Office

Ciara_Norton@health.gov.ie

Maurice_O'Donnell@health.gov.ie

The survey closes on Friday 16th October 2020.