Hiqa asks RTÉ for all nursing home documentary footage

RTÉ has said it will not hand over non-broadcast footage to The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) without a statutory obligation or legal order.
Hiqa said it has asked the national broadcaster to provide all footage it captured in the making of an RTÉ Investigates documentary into standards of care at two nursing homes.
Advertisement
The programme highlighted serious issues at two centres – The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin – which have been acknowledged as 'wholly unjustifiable' by Emeis Ireland.
Hiqa, which is responsible for inspecting nursing homes, said it had notified gardai about its concerns arising from the programme.
The authority's chief executive, Angela Fitzgerald, told the Health Committee on Wednesday: 'We've also asked RTÉ to give us all of the footage because they have, maybe, more information than we currently have.
'We also need to be able to see it, because we need to make sure that every resident, not just the ones that were on the screen, are safe.
Advertisement
'And they have agreed to cooperate with us and hopefully they will be able to provide the information we need.'
In her written submission to the same committee, Ms Fitzgerald said that RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst confirmed that the broadcaster 'will assist us in whatever way they can'.
Asked about the comments, a spokeswoman for RTÉ confirmed it was engaging with Hiqa – which is due to request a meeting with the documentary team.
However, she said: 'Any assistance provided by RTÉ will be referenced by our own guidelines, safeguards, protocols and procedures.
Advertisement
'RTÉ does not hand non-broadcast footage to third parties without a statutory obligation or legal order.'
She added: 'Hiqa have now confirmed they have referred incidents evidenced in the RTÉ programme to An Garda Síochána.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Guardian

2 hours ago

• The Guardian

Psychiatrist body holds firm on 25% pay bid but NSW Health says shortages are ‘more nuanced'

Closing submissions have been heard in the long-running dispute between psychiatrists – who are pushing for a 25% pay increase – and the New South Wales department of health, bringing to a close a landmark legal action brought by the psychiatrists, who argue psychiatric care in NSW is facing 'collapse' because of poor pay and conditions. Over two days this week, the Industrial Relations Commission court in Sydney heard closing submissions from lawyers, before the full bench retired to consider their decision. At the heart of the dispute is the proposition from the psychiatrists, represented by the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (Asmof), that NSW staff specialist psychiatrists are significantly underpaid compared with their interstate counterparts. This, they argued, has led to an exodus of qualified psychiatrists to other jurisdictions or the private sector, leading to drastic and dangerous understaffing of psychiatric units and overwork and moral injury of staff. Asmof is arguing for a special levy to increase their pay by 25% to stem the flow of specialist doctors leaving the state's public system. In January, 206 psychiatrists in NSW threatened to resign; 62 have resigned, while others await the commission's decision. In closing submissions Thomas Dixon, the barrister for Asmof, pointed the commission to evidence it had heard about the 'proliferation' of mental health patient presentations in the public health system in recent years, at the same time there has been a reduction in the number of public psychiatric specialists. Dixon said that in the five years from July 2019, the number of staff psychiatric specialist vacancies in NSW increased from 35 full-time equivalent (FTE) roles to 131, a near 400% increase. 'Why is this occurring?' he asked the full bench. 'The reasons are many, including pay … stress, overwork and concern for patient outcomes. All of these factors were caused or exacerbated by staff shortages. 'Staff shortages are having a negative impact on the quality of patient care and integrity of the health system.' Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email According to Asmof, psychiatrists are paid significantly more in states other than NSW. Salaries were up to 51% higher in Western Australia, 44% higher in the Northern Territory, 38% higher in South Australia, 28% in Queensland and 25% in Tasmania. They are 2% higher in Victoria, but Asmof said that in Victoria, as most psychiatrists do not work full-time, they are paid an hourly rate which amounts to 31% more than in NSW. Dixon reminded the court of evidence it had heard that giving a pay rise to psychiatrists would actually end up costing the government less than its current policy, which was to fill gaps in staffing with locums or visiting medical officers (VMOs). Dixon said that a full-time staff psychiatrist cost the same as a VMO working at 0.6FTE. Ian Neil SC, the barrister representing the secretary of health and the NSW department of health, argued that there was no evidence that increasing the pay of psychiatrists with a special levy would have any impact on the attraction and retention of staff, except for stopping those who had threatened resignation pending the outcome of the arbitration, which he urged the court not to consider. 'Asmof loaded up the gun and pointed it at our heads,' Neil said of the mass resignation threat. 'That ought not to be taken into account.' Neil told the court that increasing the pay for psychiatrists by 25% in an interim 12-month order was problematic in that it meant the commission would have to keep that pay uplift in other award negotiations going forward, and that it would not address the issue that Asmof hoped it would remedy. 'Wage fixing is not an appropriate mechanism to address the problem of attraction and retention, of itself,' he said. 'The problem of workplace shortages … are a much more nuanced problem that requires a nuanced response.' Neil was pushed by the justices to give an account of what the health secretary contended the solution was for the problem of attraction and retention, if not a pay increase, to which he said: 'There is no simple answer to that question because it's not a simple issue. It would be a simple issue if funds were infinite, it would be a simple issue if the source of trained staff specialist psychiatrists were infinite, but none of those propositions are true or realistic.' The full bench has adjourned to consider its judgment.

Telegraph

2 hours ago

• Telegraph

Sir Chris Hoy: We must change NHS to tackle prostate cancer

Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic champion, has called for systemic change in the ways that men get tested for prostate cancer. The 49-year-old cyclist was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in 2023, and was told last year that it is terminal after it spread to his bones. NHS guidance says men over the age of 50 are at the highest risk of developing prostate cancer, but Sir Chris wants to help men get screened earlier. He said: 'I was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer at 47. By this age, my prostate cancer was advanced and could have been progressing from when I was 45 or even younger. 'With prostate cancer, the earlier you find it, the easier it is to treat. We need the system to change to enable more men to get diagnosed earlier, and stop them getting the news I got.' Testing One option is a PSA blood test, which checks the level of prostate-specific antigens in the blood. A high reading may be a sign of a prostate condition. NHS guidance says these tests are not routinely used as they are not reliable, but men over 50 can ask GPs for one. Sir Chris's comments came after Prostate Cancer UK urged the Government to overhaul NHS guidelines to encourage GPs to proactively speak to men who are at high risk from 45 years old. According to the charity, around one in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer, which occurs when cells in the prostate start to grow in an uncontrolled way. If not detected early, it risks spreading. Sir Chris added: 'I believe men at highest risk, for example men with a family history like me or black men, should be contacted by their GP earlier on to discuss a simple PSA blood test that can check for signs of prostate cancer. Then if there are any issues, they can get it treated at an earlier stage. 'I've told my story to help raise awareness about the most common cancer in men and get more [people] thinking about their risk and what they can do, but it shouldn't all be men's responsibility. 'I've faced many challenges in my life, and going public with my prostate cancer diagnosis was certainly one of them. 'I've been incredibly lucky to have so much support from my family, friends and the general public. The kindness has lifted me up and given me a sense of purpose, and I'm committed to taking that forward and using my platform to raise awareness of the most common cancer in men and help more men at risk come forward and get tested.' 'Tour de 4' The Scottish cyclist has launched his own charity cycling challenge, Tour de 4, with the aim of changing perceptions around stage four cancer. The challenge will take place in Glasgow on Sept 7, with a final registration phase open for riders to sign up. Speaking about Sir Chris, Laura Kerby, the chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'In just a few months after Sir Chris went public with his diagnosis last year, over 286,000 people used our online risk checker to learn more about the disease, find out their own risk and learn what they can choose to do about it. 'His bravery has inspired so many men to take action, and he has undoubtedly saved lives. 'One in eight men will get prostate cancer. The earlier it's found, the easier it is to treat – but there's currently no screening programme in the UK. 'So if, like Sir Chris, you have a family history of the disease, or if you're black, we strongly encourage you to speak to your GP about testing from the age of 45. 'We don't think it's right that the responsibility is all on men's shoulders, so we're calling on the Health Secretary to overhaul outdated NHS guidelines so that GPs are empowered to actually start conversations with these men at highest risk.'

The Independent

2 hours ago

• The Independent

Spike in potentially fatal condition linked to ‘fake botox' sparks urgent probe

Regulators are urgently investigating the suspected illegal sale of fake botox after dozens of botulism cases were reported in North East England. Botulism is a potentially fatal condition caused by a bacteria-produced toxin, which attacks the body's nerves and can cause paralysis of the muscles and respiratory system. It is extremely rare, with just six cases recorded across England in 2023-24. But – in the space of just a few weeks – 28 cases of botulism have now been reported in North East England, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) – which warned that more cases may yet come to light. The cases, most of which are in the Durham and Darlington areas, have all been reported by people who had recently undergone cosmetic procedures. Reactions have included severe drooping of the upper eye lids, double vision, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech and lethargy, according to the UKHSA. On one night in June, five of the people affected all ended up in the same A&E department in Durham, according to the BBC, which cited internal hospital communications in showing that the local stock of anti-toxin was nearly exhausted, forcing medics to request more from London as they 'braced' for more patients. One of the five patients, Nicola Fairley – a mother of four from Bishop Auckland, in County Durham – told the broadcaster that she had received anti-wrinkle injections in the past, paying £100 for three areas. But she then won a round of treatment from the same provider in a competition, using what she was told was a stronger type of botox and again had three areas injected, without realising the treatment was illegal. While genuine injections should take several days to start working, the 37-year-old said her forehead became 'frozen' within two hours. The business owner who gave Ms Fairley the injections has since apologised, she said, adding: 'I know she hasn't done this on purpose. I just don't know where people get it from – it's scary. 'There needs to be more rules and stricter guidelines on who can do it – not just anybody who can go and do a course and just do it. There's that many people who do it – it's part of your beauty regime like getting your nails done or your hair.' The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is now understood to be investigating the spate of cases. Dr Alison Cave, the agency's chief safety officer, said: 'Public safety is a top priority for the MHRA. Our Criminal Enforcement Unit works hard to identify those involved in the illegal trade in medicines and takes robust enforcement action where necessary. This can include criminal prosecution. 'Botulinum toxin (Botox) is a prescription-only medicine and should only be available in the UK under the supervision of a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional 'Buying Botox and other medicines from illegal suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not authorised for use in the UK.' Dr Simon Howard of the UKHSA said that agency was still investigating the cause of the cases, and said the practitioners associated with most of the cases were no longer carrying out the procedures. 'However, that does not mean that we may not see more cases as symptoms can take up to four weeks to develop although we are now seeing the number of cases coming forward decreasing which is encouraging news,' said Dr Howard. 'We will continue to work with our partners to reduce the public health risk and would advise people to make sure they take precautions when seeking aesthetic procedures. 'Anyone who has recently undertaken an aesthetic procedure, and is experiencing any of the symptoms listed, should contact NHS 111.' The Department for Health and Social Care said the government was looking into new regulations, with people's lives currently being put at risk by 'inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector'. 'We urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner,' a spokesperson told the BBC.