Guest Blog from the National Patient Safety Office, Department of Health: The National Open Disclosure Framework Stakeholders Annual Report 2025

The Department of Health is currently accepting annual reports from relevant stakeholders regarding their progress in implementing the National Open Disclosure Framework. The submission period for these reports opened on Monday, March 2, 2026, and will conclude on Friday, April 3, 2026. The submission is done by completing an online Electronic Annual Report form. The links to the forms will be emailed to all relevant stakeholders.

The Framework was launched in October 2023, and since then, the Department has collaborated with a variety of stakeholders to implement it. Each stakeholder has distinct responsibilities under the Framework, which include submitting annual progress reports to the Minister.

The Health Service Executive Open Disclosure policy (2025) defines open disclosure as an open, consistent, compassionate, and timely approach to communicating with patients or, where appropriate, their relevant person (or both of them) following patient safety incidents or notifiable incidents. It includes apologising and expressing regret for what has happened, keeping the patient informed and providing reassurance in relation to ongoing care and treatment, learning and the steps being taken by the health or social care service providers to try to prevent a recurrence of a similar incident.

For this year’s annual reporting exercise, it is crucial for health sector organisations to be aware that if they have 50 or more full-time equivalent staff, whether based at a single site or across multiple locations (e.g., a pharmacy chain or GP practice chain), they are required to submit an annual report.

Relevant stakeholders can contact the National Patient Safety Office for any queries on the annual reporting via this email: opendisclosureframework@health.gov.ie. Information on the Framework, the Guidance document on the Framework and the 2025 Stakeholder Annual Report are also available on the Department’s website: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/publications/patient-safety-legislation-and-advocacy/

The inaugural annual reporting exercise in 2025 emphasised stakeholder progress rather than achieving perfection. Input was gathered from a range of relevant stakeholders, including service providers, service regulators, professional regulators, and education bodies. An aggregated report on the progress of stakeholders implementing the Framework in their organisations was published by the Minister for Health last October (Link to the Report).

The Health Service Executive reported several accomplishments, including the development and implementation of a new Open Disclosure Policy applicable to all HSE and HSE-funded services. Additionally, the HSE has rolled out Open Disclosure Training, comprising two e-learning modules and one face-to-face skills workshop, along with other related e-learning modules and resources; all modules are accessible on HSE Land.

Non-HSE service providers also reported making progress in adopting and implementing the Framework’s requirements, though their response rate has been lower than that of the HSE. Among those who responded, many indicated that they have established relevant policies and guidance documents, and that they are also actively implementing open disclosure practices, ongoing staff training, and developing support systems.

Service regulators HIQA and the Mental Health Commission both reported that they were progressing in incorporating open disclosure into their national standards, policies, and service inspections. They were working closely with service providers they regulate to ensure open disclosure is integrated into any reports received.

Open disclosure was reported as generally well-integrated among professional regulators, most of whom have established policies and procedures for this purpose. All responding regulators confirmed they have systems in place to record complaints related to open disclosure. Education bodies offering courses with clinical or practical components were also making progress in fulfilling the Framework’s requirements.