Hospital licensing needed for patient safety, Hiqa warns

Status quo 'not a viable option', says Hiqa, adding that its chief executive Phelim Quinn had raised the issue 'several times' with the minister and his predecessors

Hiqa chief executive Phelim Quinn

The failure to introduce a licensing system for hospitals in Ireland is preventing Hiqa from assessing the quality and care provided to patients, the healthcare regulator has said.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said it continued to have “no remit to assess the quality and safety of the care being provided to the public in public or private healthcare facilities”.

“It is our view that retaining the status quo is not ...