Run by HIQA, the HSE and the Department of Health, the National Inpatient Experience Survey offers patients the opportunity to share their experience of care in hospital and asks questions on their experience from admission to discharge.

Anyone aged 16 and over who spends a minimum of 24 hours in a public hospital during the month of May before they were discharged are invited to tell the National Care Experience Programme about their experience.

All acute hospitals within the Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) participate in the survey.

Find out more about the survey by visiting www.yourexperience.ie
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Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

IEHG hospitals ensure and promote the safeguarding of vulnerable adults at risk of abuse in accordance with the HSE’s national safeguarding policy and procedures.

More information can be found on the HSE website.
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Bereavement & Grief Information

In December 2021, the HSE launched a number of supports to help people who have been bereaved.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact across the globe on our experiences of death, dying and bereavement. The way the virus spread, the restrictions imposed on travel (domestic and international), visits to healthcare settings; visits to residential and nursing homes, house visits, funeral arrangements – all impacted on death, bereavement and grieving.

Working with the Irish Hospice Foundation and a range of partners, the HSE is promoting supports and services for people who may be struggling and dealing with issues responding to loss – and people trying to support those bereaved.

The supports include:

- Dedicated pages on HSE.ie
- Ongoing funding of the National Bereavement Support Line (Freephone 1800 80 70 77, 10am to 1pm, Mon-Fri)
- Hospital resource packs
- Commitment to funding five hospital-based Bereavement Liaison Officers to support bereaved families.

It is important that we increase knowledge about bereavement support available. The National Bereavement Support Line provides a confidential space for people to talk or get support about bereavement.

There are also staff-specific resources available from the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

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Patient Feedback

We want all patients in all our hospitals to receive the best care, so we need you to tell us what we get right, and to let us know if there are things you think we could do better.

We welcome feedback including comments, complaints and compliments which allow us to listen to you, to learn and to improve our services.
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Pass on a Compliment

Sharing a positive experience is a way of letting  our staff know that their care and professionalism have not gone unnoticed.

A compliment can be provided by post directly to the ward/ department or to the hospital’s Patient Advice and Liaison/ Complaints Department (see details here).

Compliments can also be emailed to feedback@iehg.ie  
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Complaints Process

Who can make a complaint
‍Anyone who uses any of the Ireland East Hospital Group’s services can make a complaint. You can also make a complaint on someone else’s behalf, although you will generally need their consent.

Complaints are managed in accordance with the HSE’s 'Your Service Your Say’ Guidance Manual: https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/qavd/complaints/ysysguidance/ysys-feedback-policy-guidance.pdf and local hospitals’ procedures for the management of complaints.  

How to make a complaint
‍You can make your complaint in the way that best suits you. This can be face to face, on the telephone, in a letter or by email to the relevant hospital.

You can also make a complaint through the HSE’s 'Your Service Your Say' webpage: https://www2.hse.ie/services/hse-complaints-and-feedback/your-service-your-say.html or to the Hospital Group at feedback@iehg.ie

Specific Complaints Procedures
There are a number of organisations in the health and social care sector in Ireland with responsibility for protecting the quality and safety of health and social care services. Most of these organisations allow you to make a complaint to them. You can choose from one of the links on the website https://www.healthcomplaints.ie/specific-complaints-procedures/ to see the complaints procedures for each organisation.

Verbal Complaints
‍You can speak to any member of staff in a hospital about a complaint or concern. If your complaint or concern cannot be resolved at this point the member of staff can involve a manager to discuss the issue with you. You can also request to speak with a manager.

In the event that your complaint is not resolved you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison/ Complaints Department in the hospital concerned. Details are listed here.

‍Written Complaints
‍If you wish to make a written complaint you should try to provide the relevant hospital or the Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) with details of::

• how to contact you;
• who or what you are making a complaint about;
• where and when the event that caused your complaint happened; and
• where possible, what action you would like us or the hospital to take.  

You should also try to make your complaint as soon as possible, usually within six months of you becoming aware that you have a cause for complaint and normally no longer than 12 months after the event.

Contact details for our hospitals’ Patient Advice and Liaison/ Complaints Departments are listed here.

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Following Receipt of Your Feedback

If you are paying a compliment, this will be passed on to the relevant staff member or department.

The response to a written complaint usually takes 30 working days. The hospital/HospitalGroup will keep you informed if this process takes longer.

In all instances, the hospital or Hospital Group will ensure that your feedback is appropriately managed and that, where possible, any suggestions for improvement are acted upon.

We hope that we are able to resolve your complaint satisfactorily. However, if your complaint is not resolved you may apply for an Internal Review to the Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) at the address below. Alternatively, you may contact the Office of the Ombudsman (see details below) for an independent, external review of your complaint at this stage.

Chief Executive Officer/ Director of Quality, Governance and Patient Safety
Ireland East Hospital Group,
One Kilmainham Square,
Kilmainham Square,
Inchicore Road,
Dublin 8
D08 ET1W

For information on what to expect during the Internal Review process please click here.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Internal Review, the option is still available to you to apply for an independent, external review of your complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman is fair, independent, and free to use. The Ombudsman will ask you for details of your complaint and a copy of the letter/email which was our final response to your complaint. The best way to contact the Ombudsman is by:

- Clicking on the ‘Make A Complaint’ link at www.ombudsman.ie
- Writing to: Office of the Ombudsman, 6 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 W773
- Calling the Ombudsman on 01 639 5600 if you have any queries.

‍Or as appropriate:
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‍Office of the Ombudsman for Children
Millennium House
52-56 Great Strand Street
Dublin 1, D01 F5P8
Tel: +353-1-8656800
LoCall: 1-890-654654 (from outside 01 area)
E-mail: oco@oco.ie

Following receipt of your feedback, you will receive an acknowledgement of your communication (usually within 5 working days).