Health services

Tender description

The Patient Safety Advocacy Service will provide a free and independent national service to help users of public acute hospitals making or intending to make a formal complaint through the Health Service Executive (HSE) 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 help those who have been involved in a patient safety incident 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). Following establishment of the service for public acute hospital users, it will be required that it is commenced for community and primary care services covered by “Your Service Your Say" within the lifetime and cost of the contract. The Patient Safety Advocacy Service will provide a free and independent national service to public health service users wishing to make a formal complaint. It will commence in acute hospitals and will commence in primary and community services within the lifetime of the contract (2.5 years). It will meet the needs of the service user within an acceptable time-frame and refer to other services as appropriate. Appropriate governance and structures are required. It will be staffed by advocates who will undergo the training commissioned by the Department of Health. Codes and standards will be developed and applied, with regular review and reporting on cost, activity and progress.