HSE THREATENS LEGAL AGAINST HIQA TO PREVENT PUBLICATION OF REPORT
It has emerged the HSE threatened legal action to stop the publication of a HIQA report into a number of babies’ deaths at the Midland Hospital in Portlaoise.
The Irish Times has seen a draft of the report, which it claims is highly critical of senior corporate management in the HSE.
The row has now delayed the publication of the final document, possibly until next month.
Irish Times health correspondent Paul Cullen says legal action came up as one option being considered by the HSE during a meeting with Department of Health officials last week.
“What the HSE seems to be saying is that they require any report that dies emerge to be legally water tight, and that what they’re asking for is the underlying documentation and information behind the finding in the report – so that should the report be challenged either by an organisation or by specific individuals, that it won’t be found wanting when it comes to a legal challenge” he said.
