The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today announced that it is commencing inspections in public acute hospitals to improve patient safety related to medication usage.

HIQA monitors healthcare services against the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare.

Aoife Lenihan, lead inspector on the medication safety monitoring programme,said: “Medications are the most commonly used intervention in healthcare, and advances in medication usage continue to play a key role in improving patient treatment success. However, where medicines are used, the potential for error, such as in prescribing, administering or monitoring, also exists. While most medication errors do not result in patient harm, medication errors have, in some instances, the potential to result in catastrophic harm or death to patients.”

“Medication safety has been identified by a number of bodies in Ireland as a key focus for improvement and it is estimated that on average, at least one medication error per hospital patient occurs each day. This means that there could be up to three million medication errors in Irish public hospitals per year.”

A phased approach for monitoring medication safety in public acute hospitals will commence. A phased approach will allow and encourage incremental improvement in the medication safety systems in place in public acute hospitals. The first phase will initially focus on the fundamental governance and structure requirements to support a medication safety programme. Further monitoring in subsequent phases will focus on specific structures and systems that have been proven to enhance the safety of medication use in healthcare.

The Guide to the Health Information and Quality Authority’s Medication Safety Monitoring Programme in Public Acute Hospitals outlines the requirements for service providers under phase one of the programme.

Aoife Lenihan continued: “HIQA will be reviewing medication safety practices in public acute hospitals in Ireland. Hospitals should already have structures in place for medication safety to standardise practices and strive to develop a culture of safety. HIQA inspections will interview staff, speak with patients, observe clinical areas and review documentation in relation to this to gather a comprehensive oversight of medication practices.”

Further Information: 

Marty Whelan, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, HIQA

01 814 7480 / 086 2447 623 mwhelan@hiqa.ie

Notes to the Editor: 

• HIQA has designed an evidence-based monitoring programme targeted at medication safety and underpinned by the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare.
• The Institute of Medicine’s report, ‘To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System’, estimated that on average at least one medication error per hospital patient occurs each day. This figure would potentially equate to over three million medication errors in Irish public hospitals per year.
• Phase one of the medication safety monitoring programme will be to conduct one day on-site announced inspections. Hospitals will be notified of an intention to inspect in writing 10 working days in advance.
• If people have any queries or concerns in relation to their medicines they should contact their GP or pharmacist.