Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD has welcomed the publication of the sixth annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System (NHQRS), which gives an overview of quality in our health service. Findings are reported across 52 indicators from 11 data sources and cover data to the end of 2019.
The Report highlights some of the areas were our healthcare system has been improving:
- Ireland compares well internationally on hospitalisation rates for heart failure and diabetes.
- The 30-day in-hospital mortality for heart attack has decreased by 36% over 10 years.
- Since 2010, almost all breast cancer surgeries have been performed in designated cancer centres.
- The majority of patients rate both their overall experience of in-patient care and maternity care as positive (over 80% rated experience as good or very good in both national surveys). ‘Being treated with dignity and respect’ is also rated positively.
- Cancer survival rates in Ireland continue to improve.
Speaking as the report was published, Minister Donnelly said: “I am delighted to welcome the publication of the 2020 National Healthcare Quality Reporting System (NHQRS) by my Department compiled from data received from across the health services. This is the sixth annual report and provides information on the quality of our healthcare services, including the patients experience, and showing how Ireland compares internationally. This is an important source of information for service providers, patients and their families and for policy makers. In particular, it offers the opportunity to identify areas where improvements can be made so that high quality, safe, patient centred care can continue to be a priority in our healthcare services.
“There is no doubt that the COVID-19 Pandemic has posed immense challenges for everyone in society, and particularly for our healthcare workers and the health service as a whole. However, despite these immense challenges and adversity of the pandemic, publication of this NHQRS report shows the continued commitment, across the health service, to transparency and reporting on healthcare quality.”
He continued: "Of note, data in the NHQRS Report for the 2019/2020 flu season show improving rates of flu vaccine update by healthcare workers, a trend that is all the more important as we respond to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Uptake rates for other vaccines remain below target. We must all remember that vaccination is a critical part of the response in dealing with both flu each winter, and now with COVID-19.”
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: “The NHQRS is now in its sixth cycle and the insights that the NHQRS Reports have provided over the years are already having a constructive impact in identifying areas for focussed improvement. The NHQRS is not an end in itself. This Report is used as a tool by health service providers and policy-makers to evaluate their services systematically and inform quality improvement initiatives. For example, the 2020 Report highlights the potential to improve our approach to cancer surgeries for colon and rectal cancer. However, as can be seen from this year’s Report there are also areas where year-on-year improvements and enhancements are evident. For example, the Report highlights the very significant increase in screening for CPE colonisation and infection in recent years. Also importantly, this year’s Report has expanded the indicators on patients’ experience of health services to include the care experience of women who used our maternity services. I very much look forward to seeing future NHQRS Reports expand to take account of wider patient experience across the health and social care service.”
The information provided in this Report should be reviewed and examined by those tasked with the planning and delivery of healthcare and/or the development of health policy locally, regionally and nationally. This information is important to ensure safe quality healthcare in Ireland through a process of systematic, continuous quality improvement. This is all the more important as we continue to respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, while delivering care to the many patient and families that use the health service every day.