The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today commenced a six-week public consultation on two draft national standards for health information; the draft National Standard for a Patient Summary and the draft National Standard for Electronic Prescriptions and Electronic Dispensations. 

These draft standards are revisions of existing national standards reflecting major changes in health information in Ireland and across Europe. They will support national digital strategies developed by the Department of Health and the HSE, by helping information move safely and consistently between different systems and services, contributing to safer, integrated care for people using health and social care services. These standards are also necessary to meet requirements at a European level, as set out in the European Health Data Space Regulation.

The draft National Standard for a Patient Summary sets out the core information needed to provide an electronic snapshot of a patient’s critical health information. This is particularly important when healthcare professionals do not have access to a patient’s full medical record, such as during an emergency or out-of-hours consultation. A patient summary can give healthcare professionals timely access to consistent, essential information to support safe care, including when care is provided across organisational or national borders.

The draft National Standard for Electronic Prescriptions and Electronic Dispensations sets out the information that should be recorded in electronic prescription and dispensation records. Using consistent information can help improve patient safety, for example by reducing the risk of errors involving patient identity, dosage, medication or drug interactions. It can also support accurate and timely access to information about medicines prescribed and dispensed. 

Commenting on the launch of the consultations, HIQA’s Director of Health Information and Standards, Rachel Flynn said:

“For health information to flow in and between health and social care systems, it needs to be collected and recorded consistently, every time. Health information standards give everyone a shared way to record and understand information, so it can move safely and efficiently between different systems and services. 

Ensuring that relevant and appropriate information is included in an electronic patient summary can help healthcare professionals make timely and informed decisions, supporting safer, more effective diagnosis and treatment for patients. 

Improving the quality of electronic prescription and electronic dispensation information across the health care system will enable accurate, timely access to medication information and enhance patients’ access to their medication information leading to safer, joined-up care and support.”

Rachel Flynn continued:

“These standards will have a tangible impact on a wide range of people, including those who use health and social care services and healthcare professionals. 

Through this public consultation, we are inviting them, along with advocates, researchers, policy-makers and any other interested parties to contribute to the setting of these standards. Feedback and participation are an essential step in this process, to ensure that standards are ultimately fit for purpose and reflect real experience. We would like to encourage those interested to please take part and thank them in advance for their engagement.”

To take part in the consultation on one or both draft standards, complete the relevant consultation feedback form(s):

• complete the feedback form for the draft National Standard for a Patient Summary (opens new website)
• complete the feedback form for the draft National Standard for Electronic Prescriptions and Electronic Dispensations (opens new website).

Feedback can also be submitted by downloading and completing the relevant consultation feedback form and emailing it to HIST@hiqa.ie 

The deadline for submissions is 5pm on Wednesday 21 October 2026.

Notes:

• HIQA’s remit under Section 8(1) of the Health Act includes setting standards for all aspects of health information and monitoring compliance against these standards.
• The EHDS Regulation (2025) sets out six priority categories of electronic health data to be integrated into national health information systems. This includes patient summaries and electronic prescriptions and electronic dispensations, which are to be integrated by member states by March 2029. 
• The Health Information Act, published in 2026, supports the implementation of the EHDS Regulation in Ireland. It provides for the creation of an Electronic Health Record for every patient in Ireland. The Act places additional requirements on health service providers to share information with other health service providers for the purpose of patient care and treatment, the sharing of health information at the patient’s request and the safeguarding of patient information in the event of service closure. 
• Digital strategies have been developed by the Department of Health and the HSE to facilitate digital health transformation to ensure that information is available when and where it is needed. Transformational programmes such as the implementation of One Health Record, the Shared Care Record and the National Electronic Prescribing Service are now in progress in the HSE with the aim of delivering safer, more connected, patient-centred, and data-driven services.
• When finalised, the National Standard for a Patient Summary will replace the existing National Standard for a Clinical Summary (Patient Summary), published by HIQA in 2019.
• When finalised, the National Standard for Electronic Prescriptions and Electronic Dispensations will replace the following existing national standards:
  • ePrescription Dataset and Clinical Document Architecture Standard (2015)
  • National Standard for a Dispensing Note including a Clinical Document Architecture specification (2016)
  • National Standard on information requirements for national community-based ePrescribing (2018).

About HIQA

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is the independent body that promotes safety and quality in the provision of health and social care services in Ireland. 

HIQA’s roles in regulation, standard setting and providing evidence to inform decision-making, support health and social care services to consistently deliver excellent standards of care and the best possible health and social care outcomes for all.