LIMERICK hospitals have faired well following the publication of the results of the National Hygiene survey carried out ny The Health Information and Quality Authority.
The Mid Western Regional Hospital, the Mid Western Regional Maternity Hospital, and the Mid Western Regional Orthopaedic Hospital in Croom were all given a ‘fair’ rating,
the same rating that each hospital received in the 2007 survey. However, St John’s Hospital improved on their pervious year’s rating of ‘fair’ with suitable improvements to warrant a ‘good’ rating.The Mid Western Regional Hospital in Ennis however, did not fair out as well in the survey as the authority deemed it necessary to reduce its 2007 standing as a ‘fair’ hospital to that of one with poor standards.
The governing body is an independent Authority which was established under the Health Act 2007 to drive continuous improvement in Ireland’s health and social care services. The
Authority was established as part of the Government’s overall Health Service Reform Programme.
The Authority’s mandate extends across the quality and safety of the public, private (within its social care function) and voluntary sectors.
Reporting directly to the Minister for Health and Children, the Health Information and Quality Authority has statutory responsibility for a number of major factors within the running and administration of the hospitals surveyed.
More than two-thirds of the criteria assessed were rated as A or B categories. This is encouraging overall. However, there was wide variation between hospitals.
Comparison with performance in the 2007 review shows that this year there were nearly twice as many A ratings awarded and an increase in B ratings.
Meanwhile, the percentage of C ratings went down significantly.
In comparison to last year, there was an increase in the number of D ratings, but these are small in number compared to the total number of
criteria assessed.
The main conclusions from the National Hygiene Services Quality Review 2008 noted that overall, the average hospital compliance ratings have improved when compared with the results of last year’s Review. The number of A ratings, indicating the highest level of compliance, have almost doubled. Similarily, the percentage of C ratings has
decreased noticeably.
The compliance ratings on the Corporate Management standards have seen an improvement in almost one third of the
ratings. In comparison with last year’s findings, the overall performance on the standard relating to the Implementation of Hygiene Services (SD 4.0) shows less improvement.
Nonetheless, it is encouraging that in general, high levels of compliance were found in this area which relates to actual practice on the ground.
The number of criteria that received the lowest compliance rating (i.e. a D rating) has increased in comparison to last year.
Compliance ratings were lower on some standards suggesting more focus is needed in the following areas:
* Collection and reporting data and information for Hygiene Services (CM 13)
* Evidence-based best practice and new interventions in Hygiene Services (SD 1)
* Assessing and improving performance (SD 6)
* Governing and managing Hygiene Services (CM 4)
* Enhancing staff performance (CM 11)
