THE ACUTE hospital network in the midwest was the only network to receive an increase in complaints within the HSE West region that stretches from Donegal to Limerick last year.
New figures show there was a 17 per cent increase last year in complaints against acute hospitals in Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary, jumping from 129 to 151.
However, the statistics for the entire HSE West region show there was a 5 per cent drop in the number of complaints lodged going from 757 in 2007 to 717 last year.
In the report presented to members of the HSE West Forum, the HSE confirmed that on foot of complaints from members of the public, it had introduced a new nursing policy to deal with communicating with patients’ relatives during the end-of-life stage.
In response to the written question lodged by Cllr Brian Meaney (Green), the HSE said the number of complaints in the HSE area of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon fell from 391 to 355 and the number of complaints in the northwest area of Donegal and Sligo-Leitrim dropped from 237 to 211.
The breakdown of the overall figures show the highest proportion of complaints at 288 related to “treatment and service delivery”.
The figures show that 90 complaints were received in relation to “staff attitude and manner”, 81 related to “delays and waiting times” and 70 to “communication”.
