The HSE is considering the "quality" of a draft report commissioned to examine the care of patients at a Dublin nursing home during Covid-19 before the report is "finalised".
The Dáil has heard that an investigation team which examined allegations made by a whistleblower regarding the care of patients during the first wave of the pandemic at St Mary's Hospital in Phoenix Park has submitted a draft report to the HSE.
In reply to a parliamentary question from the Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd, the HSE’s Interim National Director for Community Operations confirmed she had received the draft report.
Yvonne O’Neill who is Commissioner of the Investigation, said she was taking "due time" to consider the "sizeable and complex" report before she accepted it "as finalised".
In response to Mr O’Dowd's parliamentary question which asked when the report would be completed and published, she said she would "seek to balance the need for expediency and assurance as to the quality of the report".
The HSE hired the consultancy firm Acrux to investigate the running of the Nursing Home following a protected disclosure and over 20 Covid-related deaths at the facility during the first wave of the pandemic.
Investigators were asked to produce findings with conclusions as to whether the disclosed wrongdoings occurred or are occurring at the home.
In early April, the whistleblower asked through Solicitor Caoimhe Haughey that a copy of the preliminary report be made available.
Acrux said, having sought instructions from the HSE's Commissioning Officer, it was "not in a position" to provide a preliminary report but that it expected to issue its final report in early May.
Mr O’Dowd read Ms O’Neill's reply into the Dáil record and questioned: 'What the hell is going on?’
He pointed out that an unpublished report commissioned by the HSE was being "challenged" by the HSE.
Speaking during a debate on the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Legislation he described the care of older people in Ireland as ‘shameful’.
The report into St Mary’s Hospital is believed to be more than 500 pages long and broken up into twelve themes.
It is understood that it does not contain clinical reviews.
The Acrux team met the whistleblower, the family of residents, and staff of the Hospital as part of the investigation which focused on what occurred over a three-week period during the first wave of Covid-19 in 2020.
Mr O'Dowd accused the Government of refusing to examine the deaths in Nursing Homes.
He pointed out that voluntary organisations like Care Champions had been left to stand up for people and loved ones that experienced "appalling situations" during the pandemic.
