How to complain about a private mental health service
Complaints Officer in the hospital
If you have a complaint about a mental health service operating in a private hospital, you should first complain to the hospital where possible.
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.
Complaints Officer in the clinic
If you wish to complain about a mental health service operating from a private clinic, your first point of contact for a complaint should be the Complaints Officer in the clinic.
You should ask for the contact details of the Complaints Officer from the clinic. You should be able to make your complaint in writing, in person or over the telephone.
Mental Health Commission (MHC)
Mental health services are regulated by the Mental Health Commission (MHC). The MHC defines a mental health service as a service which provides care and treatment to persons suffering from a mental illness or a mental disorder under the clinical direction of a consultant psychiatrist.
Find out more in our page on bringing a concern to the Mental Health Commission.
Professional bodies
Your complaint about a mental health service may be to do with a particular professional, for example a doctor or a nurse. In these cases you can also take a complaint to the professional body repsonsible for regulation in the area, for example, the Medical Council for doctors and The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for nurses.
Find out more in our page on complaining to the Medical Council.
Find out more in our page on complaining to The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.
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 sheirbhís phríobháideach meabhairshláinte
Oifigeach Gearán san ospidéal
Má tá gearán agat faoin tseirbhís meabhairshláinte atá ar fáil in ospidéal príobháideach ba chóir duit gearán a dhéanamh leis an ospidéal ar dtús más féidir.
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.
Oifigeach Gearán sa chlinic
Más rud é go bhfuil gearán agat faoi sheirbhís meabhairshláinte a chuirtear ar fáil i gclinic príobháideach ba cheart duit teagmháil a dhéanamh ar dtús leis an Oifigeach Gearán sa chlinic.
Ba cheart duit sonraí teagmhála an Oifigigh Ghearán a iarraidh ar an gclinic. Ba chóir duit a bheith in ann do ghearán a dhéanamh i scríbhinn, go pearsanta nó ar an teileafón.
An Coimisiún Meabhair-Shláinte
Rialaíonn an Coimisiún Meabhair-Shláinte na seirbhísí meabhairshláinte. Is é an sainmhíniú a thugann an Coimisiún ar sheirbhís meabhairshláinte ná seirbhís a sholáthraíonn cúram agus cóireáil do dhaoine a bhfuil galar meabhrach nó neamhord meabhrach orthu agus go ndéantar é sin faoi stiúir chliniciúil síciatraí chomhairligh.
Faigh amach níos mó inár leathanach faoi ghearán a dhéanamh leis an gCoimisiún Meabhair-Shláinte.
Comhlachtaí gairmiúla
D’fhéadfadh gairmí ar leith, mar shampla, dochtúir nó altra, a bheith i gceist le do ghearán faoi sheirbhís meabhairshláinte. Sna cásanna sin, is féidir leat gearán a dhéanamh freisin leis an gcomhlacht gairmiúil atá freagrach as rialáil sa cheantar, mar shampla, Comhairle na nDochtúirí Leighis do dhochtúirí agus an Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann d’altraí.
Faigh amach níos mó inár leathanach faoi ghearán a dhéanamh le Comhairle na nDochtúirí Leighis.
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.