IMNDA is committed to ensuring that all our communications and dealings with the general public and our members and supporters are of the highest possible standard. We listen and respond to the views of the general public and our supporters so that we can continue to improve.
IMNDA welcomes both positive and negative feedback. Therefore we aim to ensure that:
- It is as easy as possible to make a complaint
- We treat as a complaint any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our operations which calls for a response
- We treat it seriously whether it is made by telephone, letter, fax, email or in person
- We deal with it quickly and politely
- We respond accordingly – for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong and information on any action taken etc
- We learn from complaints, use them to improve, and monitor them at our Board
If you have feedbackor a complaint – step one
If you do have a complaint about any aspect of our work, you can contact Lillian McGovern CEO in writing or by telephone.
In the first instance, your complaint will be dealt with by our Chief Executive. Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond to you, providing relevant contact details.
Write to:
Lillian McGovern,
Chief Executive Officer,
IMNDA,
Ground Floor, Unit 3 Marshalsea Court, 22-23 Merchants Quay, Dublin 8, D08 N8VC.
Tel: 01 6705942
Email: info@imnda.ie
We are open 5 days a week from 9.00am to 5pm, and close between 1.00pm and 2.00pm each day.
What happens next?
If you complain in person or over the phone, we will try to resolve the issue there and then. Similarly, if you complain by email or in writing we will always acknowledge your complaint within 7 days, and do everything we can to resolve it within 21 days. If this is not possible, we will explain why and provide a new deadline.
What if the complaint is not resolved?
If you are not happy with our response, you may get in touch again by writing to Jonathan Healy, Chairperson, IMNDA, Marshalsea Court, Ground Floor, Unit 3, 22/23 Merchant's Quay, Dublin 8, D08 N8VC. The Chairperson will ensure that your appeal is considered at Board level and will respond within two weeks of this consideration by Board members.
Making a complaint about a public service
When we use a service in a hospital or deal with a healthcare professional or agency and we experience an issue or a problem that we are uncomfortable with, it can be difficult sometimes to know where to express this issue or problem. If you do experience a situation and you feel you wish to complain, you can do so. The Irish Patients Association have put together guidelines on how you can start this process.
Getting started on making a formal complaint can be difficult. Read on for some useful guidelines.
How you might lay out your complaint
- Decide who it is you want to make a complaint to (i.e., a hospital, directly to a doctor or nurse, or to their regulatory body – such as the Medical Council
- What happened?
- When did it happen? (Date, time, day, was it a holiday weekend)?
- Who was there?
- What was said and who said it?
- Was anybody told about this? Who, and when were they told
- Was your/patient’s informed consent given for the treatment or medications?
- What risks were advised? What options were given?
- Briefly, what has been the impact on you as a patient, family member or carer?
- Do you need a copy of the medical and nursing records (notes)? You may need these notes explained to you.
- State what it is you want – e.g., an apology, an explanation of what caused the problem, a change in the way things are done so that other patients won’t be affected.
Managing your complaint
Make a note of:
- When your complaint was made and to whom.
- Dates of contacts, written and verbal.
- Additional information provided by you or person you have made complaint to.
- Responses made and if they answer your enquiries.
- Follow up enquiries you make.
What you might expect of the outcome
- An explanation of why or how something happened in words that you understand.
- An apology.
- An acknowledgement that the way things are done will be changed.
- An explanation of the medical records.
If you are not happy with the outcome, you presently only have recourse to the Office of the Ombudsman for publicly operated hospitals: Tel, 1890 22 30 30.
These options are without prejudice to your common law entitlements to go the legal route. Some hospitals have a complaints appeals procedure in place.
Contact the Irish Patient’s Association if you are having difficulty: info@irishpatients.ie
Taken from www.irishpatients.ie
