You can share feedback with the HSE:
Types of feedback
All feedback helps improve the quality of HSE services and the care people get.
A comment is when you:
- raise something that concerns you
- share your experience on the service or care you got
- make an observation
- make a suggestion, for example, how something might be done in a different way
A compliment is when you share positive feedback such as:
- your appreciation for your care
- praise for staff or a service
A complaint might be when you:
- raise an issue about a service or experience
- share a bad or negative experience you had with a HSE service
Giving feedback directly to a service
You can give feedback directly to staff while you are using a service or getting care.
Staff:
- will try to help you straight away or escalate it to a manager or complaints officer
- will take note of your feedback
- may ask if you want to make a formal complaint through Your Service Your Say
To give feedback directly to a service at a later stage you could:
- tell a staff member about your experience, in person or by phone
- contact the complaints officer for that service
- ask a staff member for a paper feedback form and complete it
- write a note and put it into a feedback box
- write a letter or an email
You can put a note, letter or completed form in the feedback box at a primary care centre or hospital, for example.
You can also ask a staff member to help. They can give you the right postal address for that service. You could give them your letter or feedback form.
If you prefer, contact Your Service Your Say.
How to give feedback to health services that are not part of the HSE
Assessment of Need complaints and appeals
Raise a concern about adults at risk of abuse (vulnerable adults)
Contacting a complaints officer
There are Your Service Your Say complaints officers across the HSE. They handle complaints for specific services.
They deal with complaints sent to them by:
- a staff member
- the Your Service Your Say team
- people who want to make a complaint
To get the contact details for a complaints officer at the service you want to complain about:
- ask a staff member at that service
- phone or email Your Service Your Say
Making a complaint for someone else
If you're not able to give feedback yourself, ask a relative, carer or advocate to do this for you.
Help and support to give feedback
You may be able to get help and support to give feedback through different advocacy services.
These include advocacy services for people with different health conditions, age, ability or ethnic backgrounds.
Patient Advocacy Service
If you need help to make a formal complaint about a public hospital or nursing home, you can get help from the Patient Advocacy Service.
Phone: 0818 293 003
info@patientadvocacyservice.ie
Office of the Confidential Recipient
If you are worried about a vulnerable older person or person with a disability in HSE care, you can report your concern.
You can do this through the Office of the Confidential Recipient. A confidential recipient is a person who can act as a voice for vulnerable older people and people with a disability.
How to give feedback to health services that are not part of the HSE
Some health services are not part of the HSE. For example, voluntary or private service providers and services that get HSE funding.
You need to contact these services directly if you have feedback to share about their service. They will investigate your complaint.
Services that are not part of the HSE include:
- your GP
- your dentist
- a private nursing home
- a voluntary hospital
- a day service
- other health and social care services
You can ask them about their complaints policy and process.