A NATIONAL review of the manner in which letters of referral from GPs are dealt with by hospitals across the State is to be undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa).
The review, which was announced yesterday by the independent patient safety watchdog, will look at a range of issues including how long it takes across the system for GP referral letters to be dealt with by hospitals.
Hiqa’s announcement follows the recent controversy over thousands of GP referral letters being left unopened or unprocessed at Dublin’s Tallaght hospital.
The hospital has admitted that in October last, there was a backlog of 3,498 letters that had not been processed. Some of them dated back to 2002.
It is understood some departments in the hospital had stopped processing GP referral letters in a bid to get outpatient waiting times under control.
The chief executive of Hiqa, Dr Tracey Cooper, said the aim of the review would be to assess the arrangements that are in place across the State for the processing of GP letters with a view to making recommendations for a consistent approach nationally that will improve care and access for patients.
She said the authority would undertake a national survey, in collaboration with the Irish College of General Practitioners, on how patient referrals are processed in GP surgeries and in hospitals.
“The primary purpose of the survey is to gain a clear picture of how GP patient referrals are processed in general practice and by hospitals and to inform the development of a generic standard that ensures a consistent approach for patients across the country.
“From the authority’s perspective it is important that the performance and integrity of the referral process is assessed and that there is an efficient and consistent process for patients regardless of what hospital they are attending,” she said.
“We are also anxious that the survey helps us identify the different stages as they apply in different hospitals and how long it takes across the system for GP referral letters to be dealt with,” she added.
Dr Cooper envisages having the work completed over the next three months.