Over 100 concerns/complaints received by Confidential Recipient

There have been more than 100 formal concerns/complaints raised with the Office of the Confidential Recipient in the first seven months of this year, according to figures provided to the Medical Independent (MI).

Some 47 of the concerns/complaints were about “quality of service”; 12 about “nursing homes”; 15 about “residential” care; 13 about “funding”; 13 about “day service”; and three were in relation to “equipment”. This represents 103 complaints/concerns received since the beginning of this year until the end of July.

In 2019, the total number of concerns/complaints received was 155.
“Hospitals are not under the remit of the Confidential Recipient, unless an issue involves a person with a disability or older person,” a HSE spokesperson told MI.

“Types of concerns received relating to hospitals include: Waiting times, travel issues/accessibility, and Covid-19 concerns.”

The Office of the Confidential Recipient is a national service that receives concerns/complaints related to vulnerable adults in HSE or HSE-funded care services.

The Confidential Recipient is a person who can act as a voice for vulnerable older people and people with a disability. Although appointed by the HSE, the Confidential Recipient is independent of the Executive.

According to the HSE’s annual report 2019, the office “dealt with 896 formal concerns/complaints from across the country since its establishment in December 2014”.