How to complain about a nurse or midwife working in a public hospital
Complaints Officer in the hospital
If you have a complaint about a nurse or midwife working in a public hospital (either a HSE or a voluntary hospital), you should first complain to the hospital.
Most hospitals have a Complaints Officer who will take your complaint in person, over the phone or in writing. You can find out the contact details for the Complaints Officer through the hospital’s main phone number.
The HSE has a complaints procedure called Your Service Your Say. You can expect an update on your complaint within 30 days.
You can find out more in our page on the Your Service Your Say procedures.
Health Service Executive (HSE) review
If you are not happy with the recommendations made by the Complaints Officer, you can ask for a review from the HSE’s Director of Advocacy or go straight to the Office of the Ombudsman or Ombudsman for Children.
You can find out more in our page on the Your Service Your Say procedures.
Office of the Ombudsman / Ombudsman for Children
If you are not happy with the response from the HSE, you can ask the Office of the Ombudsman to examine your complaint and how your complaint was handled.
You can find out more in our page on referring a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman.
If the complaint relates to a child, you should contact the Ombudsman for Children.
You can find out more in our page on referring a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
If your complaint is particularly serious, for example, if you feel it involves professional misconduct, you can complain directly to The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland . The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is the regulatory body for all registered nurses and midwives working in Ireland. If you have already contacted the HSE with your complaint, you should note that the HSE may themselves refer your complaint to The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland if they feel it involves professional misconduct.
Help and advocacy
If you would like help making your complaint, you can find a list of organisations that can help in our page on help and advocacy services.
Conas gearán a dhéanamh faoi altra nó bean chabhrach atá ag obair in ospidéal poiblí
Oifigeach Gearán san ospidéal
Má tá gearán agat faoi altra nó bean chabhrach atá ag obair in ospidéal poiblí (ar ospidéal FSS nó ospidéal deonach é), ba chóir duit gearán a dhéanamh leis an ospidéal ar dtús.
Tá Oifigeach Gearán ag an gcuid is mó d’ospidéil a ghlacfaidh do ghearán go pearsanta, ar an teileafón nó i scríbhinn. Is féidir leat na sonraí teagmhála don Oifigeach Gearán a fháil amach trí phríomhuimhir theileafóin an ospidéil.
Tá nós imeachta ag FSS ar a dtugtar ‘Do Sheirbhís, Do Bharúil’ Féadfaidh tú a bheith ag súil go bhfaighidh tú an scéal is déanaí faoi do ghearán laistigh de 30 lá.
Athbhreithniú ar Fheidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte (FSS)
Más rud é go bhfuil tú míshásta leis na moltaí atá déanta ag an oifigeach gearán, féadfaidh tú iarraidh ar Stiúrthóir Abhcóideachta FSS athbhreithniú a dhéanamh, nó féadfaidh tú féin dul i dteagmháil le hOifig an Ombudsman nó leis an Ombudsman do Leanaí.
Oifig an Ombudsman / Oifig an Ombudsman do Leanaí
Más rud é nach bhfuil tú sásta leis an bhfreagra ó FSS, is féidir leat iarraidh ar Oifig an Ombudsman scrúdú a dhéanamh ar do ghearán agus ar an dóigh a caitheadh le do ghearán.
Má bhaineann an gearán le leanbh, ba chóir duit teagmháil a dhéanamh leis an Ombudsman do Leanaí.
Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann
Más rud é go bhfuil do ghearán an-tromchúiseach, mar shampla, má mheasann tú go bhfuil mí-iompar gairmiúil i gceist leis, is féidir leat gearán a dhéanamh go díreach leis an mBord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann. Is é an Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann an comhlacht rialála do gach altra agus bean chabhrach atá ag obair in Éirinn. Má tá teagmháil déanta agat cheana féin le FSS maidir le do ghearán, ba chóir duit a thabhairt faoi deara go bhféadfaidh FSS iad féin do ghearán a chur faoi bhráid an Bhoird Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann má mheasann siad go bhfuil mí-iompar gairmiúil i gceist leis.
Cabhair agus abhcóideacht
Dá mba mhaith leat cabhair a fháil le do ghearán a dhéanamh, is féidir leat liosta d’eagraíochtaí ar féidir leo cabhrú leat a fháil inár leathanach maidir le seirbhísí cabhrach agus abhcóideachta.