Hospital Complaints

kerash

I wasnt sure where to post this, but I though I might find the most informed and understanding people here.

My dad went for an operation last week (due to a long term illness) the op took place in the mater private through the National Treatment Purchase Fund. He had previously been to the mater for other procedures and recieved excellent treatment.
However, this time he has cause to complain about the treatment he received or rather didnt receive... He brought the problems to the attention of the staff at the time and now will most likely take further steps to complain, I've found the address for formal complaints and go my dad intends going down that route.

What I'm asking is, has anyone here taken formal action to complain about poor treatment? and what happened. It'd be great to know so that I can inform my dad of what to do/expect.


Thanks for reading:)

Queen-Mise

No idea kerash - never had any problems in that regard. Searching the internet might help, to find people in the same position.

graflynn

I've renamed the Irish health care system as the Irish Health Scare system. I have two stories and I'll try to keep them brief. I believe that if the hospitals & staff think they can get away with poor standards of care they will continue. Making a formal complaint means that their superiors have to have a "conversation" with them and it does make them sit up a bit.

Anyway here's my stories. The first instance was the birth of my second child. It turned out my son was perfectly healthy but my stay & his was absolutely awful. The details of which are too numberous to go into but it was down to the inefficiency of the hospital and its staff and incompetency of the staff. So, we wrote letters to the TD's who forwarded them to their health spokesperson and then nothing. Two years later the maternity hospital makes national headlines as the dirtiest hospital in the country - this was one of my complaints.

The second instance was with a clinic visit. The nurse was insensitive and did not have any of my history. She told me to get out and excercise and loose the weight (i.e. the baby weight!!!). The doctor, in my opinion, did not read my file and increased my medication enough to put me in a dangerous position, he didn't do any of the regular checks and he also suggested that I fork out a couple of hundred euros for a twin buggy so I could get some excercise. Thankfully, I'm a well-informed person with type 1 diabetes and knew the weight issue is not as simple as adding excercise - it's a lot more complicated when insulin is involved. I had had 15 years of experience attending diabetes clinics to know what should have been done during the visit.

Anyway, I went on www.yoursay.ie, the website where you can make your complaints formal. "They" took the complaint to the consultant who runs the clinic, who defended himself, naturally, even though he wasn't there on the day in question. They then wrote to me with his reply. I wasn't going back to the clinic, so I was happy that it would go on record. I felt I had done my duty and that if anything happens to anyone in the future that it has been filed on paper. If anyone of my friends or collegues ends up in the clinic I tell them my story and others and let them make an informed decision about continuing treatment there.

I wish more people would complain formally if they have bad experiences because when someone dies hearsay doesn't carry any weight in court. And the more people who make their experiences known the better our service will be..... hopefully.

Olduvai

It is important that people complain and give feedback which can be both positive and feedback, particularly when you have cause to.... otherwise things plod along and nothing changes.

The complaint should be sent to the CEO of the Mater Private. If the complaint is about standard of care the nurses gave, carbon copy it to the Director of Nursing. It would be helpful if you have the specific names of the nurses who your father felt didnt provide a standard of care.

If the complaint was serious, involving professional malpractice, you complain to An Bord Altranais for nurses and the Irish Medical Council for doctors.

Given the admission was organised under the NTPF the complaint should also be carbon copied to the CEO of the NTPF. These private hospitals are receiving enough money to treat public patients and the least you expect is professionalism and optimum standards of care.

kerash

Thanks for the advice it's great. And I'd agree it's very important to complain and give feedback.

A few things have happened in the past week, making it obvious that the hospital know they made some error - my dad got a prescription in the post, a phone call and an appointment for outpatients on Monday, (where previously it had been scheduled for 6weeks away) so at least the infection he's currently suffering will be delt with and he can complain at source.

I cant find the yoursay.ie website?

graflynn

kerash wrote: »

I cant find the yoursay.ie website?

I'm sorry I should have looked it up before I posted. I did have trouble finding it again. http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/ysys/ This webpage provides all the info you would need to make the formal complaint.

Glad things are looking up your Dad.