Legal News (Healthcare Law)

As we near the end of 2019, I would like to thank you on behalf of all here at Hayes Solicitors for your continued support throughout the year. Because of your support, it has been another busy year at Hayes, with lots of new developments.

2019 has seen significant change in the area of pharmacy regulation, with even greater change anticipated in 2020.

The Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2019 (“the Bill”) has recently completed Committee stage in Dáil Éireann and is expected to be signed into law by the end of 2019.

Professional standards and codes of conduct undoubtedly differ greatly between different jurisdictions. In an environment where healthcare professionals are increasingly mobile, many examples exist across the healthcare professions of registrants maintaining multiple registrations at any given time.

Recently, Tusla has begun for the first time to maintain a publicly available register of organisations and businesses which are not in compliance with the obligation under the 2015 Act to maintain a Child Safeguarding Statement.

There was no legal protection for apologies given to patients in Ireland until last year. Louise O’Rourke and Katy Meade look at legal protection for apologies in light of new emphasis on open disclosure and legislative change.