Establishment and delivery of the Patient Safety Advocacy Service

Tender description

The service will provide independent assistance initially to users of public acute hospitals and screening services making or intending to make a complaint through the HSE formal investigation process in "Your Service Your Say" (https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/qavd/complaints/ysysguidance/) in relation to the care they have received, and assistance to those who have been involved in a patient safety incident review as described in the HIQA / MHC National Standards for the Conduct of Review of Patient Safety Incidents (https://www.hiqa.ie/reports-and-publications/standard/national-standards-conduct-reviews-patient-safety-incidents-0). Once established, the service will then be required to extend its services to include community and primary care services covered by Your Service Your Say within the lifetime and cost of the contract. The intention of the service is to empower the service user to speak for themselves and feel confident and supported by the advocate to voice their own concerns. The Service will focus on providing support at each of the following points or activities in the health service complaints procedure or following a patietn safety incident: • Support the service user where needed through from stage 2 (see pathway below) of the HSE’s Your Service Your Say formal complaints procedure (or similar), o Enable the service user to access complaints information and procedures o Support the service user in making and progressing a formal complaint o Refer the service user to other existing sources or other services appropriate to their needs • Support the service user in making a complaint to a professional body, regulatory body or the ombudsman • Support the service user by providing an advocacy service where appropriate, in the aftermath of a patient safety incident • Support the service user in reaching resolution and receiving feedback on the outcome, including actions taken