Mixed results in the new NHQRS report

While the report also found that in general cancer screening rates are improving while national hospitalisation rates for heart failure and diabetes are decreasing and are below the OECD average.

“I know that many areas of our health service perform very well but it is unfortunately true to say that good performance receives far less attention than when things go wrong,” said Minister for Health Simon Harris.

“Of course not everything is where we want it to be, but the first step in dealing with a problem is to know it exists. I will be encouraging the new all-party Committee on the Future of Healthcare to use this information to help inform their discussions.

“I’m also glad to see that more information on patient experience will form part of future NHQRS reports.”

The report highlights information gaps where new information streams are required such as patient experience data.

“This second annual report makes available measures of health service performance and outcomes of care for Irish health services. The report analyses information that is readily available to inform questions of performance and quality which can then further inform the development of policy, priorities and specific service plans” said Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer.

A full copy of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting system (NHQRS) can be found here http://health.gov.ie/blog/publications/national-healthcare-quality-reporting-system-nhqrs-annual-report-2016/