The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published the terms of reference for its investigation into the quality of maternity care provided at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise.

The move has been welcomed by the Irish Patients Association (IPA).

The Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, had requested HIQA to investigate the safety, quality and standards of services provided at the hospital following disturbing revelations in relation to the care and subsequent deaths of a number of babies there.

A damning report into the maternity services at the hospital has already been carried out by the Department of Health's chief medical officer, Tony Holohan (see more here)

In addition to highlighting serious safety shortcomings, this report also found that the parents of infants who died unexpectedly were treated in a poor, and at times 'appalling' manner in their dealings with the hospital. Information which could have been shared with the parents about the deaths was not provided by the hospital.

It also found that Portlaoise Hospital failed to act on safety issues in its maternity unit. Poor maternity outcomes that could have been prevented were known by the hospital, but not adequately or properly acted on.

The HIQA investigation will be ‘further to and cognisant' of Mr Holohan's report. As part of its terms of reference, it will assess the ‘patient safety culture' at the hospital. It will look at the extent of serious adverse events there, and the HSE's ‘actions, inactions and response' to these events.

The investigation will assess the ‘associated relationship and communication between the HSE and patients and families and their experience'.

HIQA will also examine what measures have been taken by Portlaoise and the HSE in the implementation of national recommendations from previous investigations and reports, including the case of Savita Halappanavar in University Hospital Galway.

"If, in the course of the Investigation, it becomes apparent that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there are further or other serious risks to the health or welfare of any person or persons receiving services, the investigation team may recommend to the authority and/or the Minister for Health, that these terms be extended to include further investigation or that a new investigation should be undertaken, as appropriate," HIQA said.

Commenting on the terms of reference, IPA chief executive, Stephen McMahon, highlighted the fact that as part of the investigation, HIQA ‘will also take into account the experiences of patients and their families'.

"This wide ranging investigation has the potential to be a major milestone in the patient safety journey within the Irish heathcare system," he said.