The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is asking the public for their feedback on its Draft Recommendations on the ICT Enablement of Older Persons Services.

HIQA is encouraging submissions from the public during a six-week consultation on these draft recommendations, following which a final version will be submitted to the Minister of Health as advice.

In common with many other countries, Ireland is facing an ageing population, with those aged 65 years or more expected to account for 50% of all healthcare activity by 2031. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified existing challenges for older people in healthcare services, who typically move between care settings, requiring very close coordination between the different health and social care areas.

Furthermore, older persons’ services are delivered by a broad range of health and social care professionals, with their health information typically held in a number of IT systems, or in paper records. This makes it extremely difficult for healthcare professionals treating an older person to share information safely and effectively.

HIQA developed these draft recommendations to address the challenge of ensuring that information can be shared effectively across settings through ICT enablement. This project was a key recommendation from the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel and is in line with national priorities, including Sláintecare.

HIQA’s Director of Health Information and Standards, Rachel Flynn, said: “Infrastructure to enable the sharing of information is underdeveloped in Ireland but is very much necessary to support integrated care, as set out in Sláintecare. HIQA looked at the wide mix of services that are delivered to older people, to understand how information can be shared safely and effectively, among the professionals providing that care. Some of these services are provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and others are outside the HSE, such as private nursing homes, GPs, and others.
“As with many countries, the emphasis has been placed on implementing national infrastructure to enable the sharing of information not just for older people but for all people using health and social care. Specific to the area of older persons’ care, there is a need to have clear governance that incorporates all service providers in that journey, a clear strategy, as well as the other measures outlined in the recommendations.

“Feedback from stakeholders on the ICT enablement of older persons’ services is vital to this programme’s success. The consultation will ask people to consider what governance structures should be in place to provide oversight, and how patient and public representation can be built into that structure among other key issues.”

Through this public consultation, HIQA is seeking to ensure that patients, their families and carers, professionals, organisations, and the general public can provide their views and contribute to the development of these recommendations. All feedback received will be analysed and used to inform the final recommendations.

The Draft Recommendations for ICT Enablement of Older Persons’ Services are available from the link at the top of the page. To take part in the consultation, please complete the short survey either online or in the .pdf feedback form by 5pm on Friday, 29 April 2022.

Ends.

For further information please contact:
Marty Whelan, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
01 814 7480 / 085 805 5202 / mwhelan@hiqa.ie

Notes to the editor:

• Through its statutory function for health information, HIQA develops recommendations, standards, guidance and reviews governance arrangements in the area of eHealth and national data collections.
• HIQA launched a report calling for reform of the health information system for health and social care in Ireland in October 2021. The report makes six recommendations across strategy, leadership, legislation, workforce, standards and health information infrastructure needed to establish an effective and efficient national health information system.
• Following on from that report, the Draft Recommendations on ICT Enablement of Older persons’ services explain how older persons’ services should be enhanced and integrated in Ireland. For example, the type of governance structure that is needed and the importance of ensuring that an older person, like any individual, can be assured that their health information is available to the right person at the right time, all along their care journey.
• HIQA’s recommendations were developed based on international best practice, and engagement with stakeholders from key organisations and programmes across the areas of health and social care, and ICT enablement.
• The draft recommendations were developed following engagement with stakeholders from key organisations and programmes across the areas of health and social care, and ICT enablement — including the Department of Health, 12 HSE programmes, 10 professional representative organisations, and patient representative organisations, including the HSE Patient Forum and Age Friendly Ireland.
• The ICT Enablement of Older Persons Services: Best Practice Review examines how ICT enablement of older persons’ services was undertaken and achieved in eight jurisdictions, collating best practices and lessons learned in the areas of governance, implementation, and stakeholder engagement.
• The ICT Enablement of Older Persons Services: As Is Analysis examines the current national landscape, including the broader national context and the related programmes and initiatives that have already been undertaken.