Hospital Complaints Procedures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2013

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Questions (105)

Clare Daly

Question:

105. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will assist a person (details supplied) whose spouse died 40 years ago giving birth in the Coombe Hospital, Dublin 8, and whose death was recorded as avoidable and the hospital responsible but nobody was ever held to account. [22385/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE has a well established procedure for managing feedback and complaints in relation to experiences of individuals and their families in our hospitals. The details of the formal complaints policy, are available on the HSE website, at www.hse.ie/eng/services/ysys/Complaint. In addition, advice and instructions for making complaints and feedback about a service or an individual may be found at www.healthcomplaints.ie. In accordance with this procedure, a complaint must be made in the first instance to the hospital in which the incident causing the complaint occurred.

The HSE also has a National Advocacy Unit, their role includes promoting clear communication between health care providers and patients following an adverse event in health services, and mediation and facilitation for complaints handling. The Advocacy Unit also has a national role in liaising with the Office of the Ombudsman. If an individual is not satisfied with the way their complaint was dealt with, a review can be sought from the HSE Director of Advocacy and the Ombudsman, whose details are set out below.

HSE Director of Advocacy, Oak House, Millennium Park, Naas,Co Kildare - Tel [phone].

If an individual is not happy with the outcome of the review they may request an independent review from the Office of the Ombudsman or Ombudsman for Children, whose details are set out below.

Office of the Ombudsman, 18, Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, Tel [phone], Email: [e-mail].

In relation to this specific query, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly regarding the assistance that their National Advocacy Service may be in a position to provide in relation to the queries you have raised.