Professor Anthony Staines of the Department of Nursing and Human Sciences in DCU has called for a more complete system of reporting on services in the health system.
He was commenting on a new report that shows the difference in outcomes depending on what hospital in which one is treated.
However, he told RTE Radio’s
that because of the incomplete system of reporting it is difficult to tell what exactly are the issues in some hospitals.In relation to the recording of treatment for heart attacks, it is difficult to determine how accurate it is because of the pattern of variations which can change from year to year, he explained.
Factors such as an older population in an area, resources in the specific hospital and how patients are presenting, all need to be considered, he said.
Figures are missing which would provide a fuller assessment of the Irish health system. Professor Staines pointed out that in the UK the NHS also records re-admission rates which offers a fuller picture of treatment patterns.
Ireland’s health care system is too hospital centred.
We’re treating a lot of stuff that could be treated elsewhere.
The country’s cancer survival rates are “a bit below” the OECD average, but other countries on a similar level tend to be poorer. Ireland has “relatively low” survival rates for breast cancer, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer. This needs to be looked at, he said.
One possibility is that people are turning up later for treatment than in other countries.
In relation to vaccinations, he called for an investigation into low vaccination rates in Wicklow and for action on the high rate of benzodiazepine (sleeping tablets) use in Ireland.
We need a programme to get people off benzodiazepine.
Prof Staines said that in Ireland 7.5% of people aged over 65 had been on the sleeping tablets for more than a year when the recommended duration was one month.
To successfully wean patients off benzodiazepine they would need to make weekly visits to their doctor or nurse, he said.
They would need to taper the dosage slowly over quite a long period of time.