CCO, Deirdre McNamara, and Ronan Buckley joined the meeting
The CCO presented the following reports to the Committee which were noted:
- National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre (NPEC) Perinatal Mortality National Clinical Audit Report 2023
- National Centre for Clinical Audit Annual Report
- Irish Maternity Indicator System (IMIS) Report 2024
In relation to the NPEC Report, the Committee queried the stillbirth postmortem result return rates, which the CCO advised he would provide further information on. The CCO highlighted the positive impact digitisation will have in relation to data available for all national audits.
4.1 Clinical Commentary on the National Performance Report
The Committee noted the papers provided by the CCO in advance of the meeting which provided commentary on the key clinical elements of the NPR relating to Public Health; National Screening Service; Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control; Urgent Colonoscopy; National Cancer Control Programme; and Mental Health.
In particular, the Committee discussed the flu vaccine and its low uptake (approx. 45% against a target of 75% ) among healthcare workers. The Committee also requested that alternative actions would be considered by management to improve uptake in the future. It was agreed that the CCO would write to the Postgraduate Medical Training Colleges to encourage uptake in the flu vaccine amongst healthcare workers.
4.2 Chief Clinical Officer report on Clinical Areas of Focus
The Committee noted the CCO report on Clinical Areas of Focus report provided by the CCO which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The papers provided the Committee with updates on topical areas of focus under the CCO’s remit, which included Exceptional Management Interventions; Key clinical actions addressing opportunities for improvement; and examples of good/exemplary clinical practice/services.
The Committee discussed Maternity Services in PUH; Children’s Health Ireland; Implementation of Recommendations Arising from Clarke Report; Histopathology Lookback Review at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.
In relation to opportunities for improvement, the Committee discussed the Clinical Governance Framework; the National Clinical Programme Review; Endometriosis Action Plan; Organ Donation Transplant Ireland; and the Irish Maternity Indicator System (IMIS) – 2024 Report. The Committee noted that this year, the IMIS report, which had been anonymised in previous years, will be published and available on the HSE website.
4.3 Maternity Dashboard Q2 2025
The CCO presented the Maternity Dashboard to the Committee. The HSE started producing a quarterly maternity dashboard in 2025 to ensure the HSE Board were informed of emerging issues in Maternity care. The Maternity Dashboard uses metrics from the Irish Maternity Indicator System (IMIS) report, and includes a narrative to indicate whether any of the metrics presented are a cause for concern.
The Committee noted the Maternity Dashboard Q2 2025.
4.4 Quarterly Quality and Patient Safety report / Monthly Patient Safety Protocol Report (PSP) - 01 Sept - 28 October 2025
The CCO provided the Committee with the Monthly Patient Safety Protocol Report (PSP) and the Quarterly Quality and Patient Safety report, which outlined a high-level overview of patient safety incidents reported via the National Incident Management System (NIMS) for Q3 2025. The Committee noted the analysis of incidents reported via the National Incident Management System in the HSE and also an overview of the National Quality and Patient Safety activity to address common causes of harm, with a specific focus on Prevention and Management of Pressure Ulcers.
The Committee noted the Monthly Patient Safety Protocol Report (PSP) 01 Sept – 28 October 2025 and the Quarterly Quality and Patient Safety report Q3 2025.