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National standards: improving patient rights and safety of health services

Lisa O’Farrell (Standards and Quality Assurance, Mental Health Commission, Dublin, Ireland)
Michael Byrne (Health Service Executive, Roscommon, Ireland)
Linda Moore (Health Information and Quality Authority, Dublin, Ireland)

Clinical Governance: An International Journal

ISSN: 1477-7274

Article publication date: 1 July 2014

1788

Abstract

Purpose

Regulation is increasingly being used in healthcare to influence the behaviour of healthcare organisations. Since 2006, a key change in Ireland has been the introduction of national regulatory standards in mental health services under new legislation. Little empirical evidence, however, exists on the effects of regulation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceived impact of standards at patient level as well as on professional and organisational practice in services.

Design/methodology/approach

An anonymous online survey methodology using a self-devised questionnaire instrument was employed. A national cohort of service managers and multi-disciplinary mental health professionals were asked their views on the introduction of standards.

Findings

A total of 185 individuals responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of 38 per cent. Substantial improvements were reported to have taken place across services with the most notable changes being improved safeguarding of patients’ rights and increased safety of care. Additionally, major changes were reported in professional working with new topics being discussed at management meetings and new functions being incorporated into certain professionals’ roles.

Practical implications

Standards can change behaviour at several levels across healthcare organisations, although professional groups differ in their views on the degree of this impact.

Originality value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the impact of national regulatory standards in healthcare in Ireland. This study lends support to the use of standards to enhance patient rights and the safety of services. The results provide useful direction for policy makers, regulators, and service providers.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Mental Health Commission for facilitating this study.

Citation

O’Farrell, L., Byrne, M. and Moore, L. (2014), "National standards: improving patient rights and safety of health services", Clinical Governance: An International Journal, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 194-206. https://doi.org/10.1108/CGIJ-02-2014-0006

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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