Detailed categorisation headings for information only

Access | Dignity and Respect | Safe and Effective Care | Communication and Information | Participation | Privacy | Improving Health | Accountability

Access[1]

  • Accessibility / resources[9]
  • Appointment - delays[17]
  • Appointment - other[25]
  • Admission - delays[33]
  • Admission - other[39]
  • Hospital facilities[44]
  • Hospital room facilities (access to)[48]
  • Parking[50]
  • Transfer issues[52]
  • Transport[54]
  • Visiting times[56]
  • Other access[58]

Dignity and Respect [2]

  • Alleged inappropriate behaviour[10]
  • Delivery of care[18]
  • Discrimination[26]
  • End-of-Life Care[34]
  • Ethnicity[40]
  • Other dignity and respect[45]

Safe and Effective Care[3]

  • Adequate Human Resources [11]
  • Diagnosis[19]
  • Test[27]
  • Continuity of care (internal )[35]
  • Continuity of care (external)[41]
  • Discharge[46]
  • Health and Safety issues[49]
  • Health care records[51]
  • Hygiene[53]
  • Infection prevention and control[55]
  • Patient property[57]
  • Medication[59]
  • Tissue Bank[60]
  • Treatment and Care[61]

Communication and Information[4]

  • Communication skills[12]
  • Delay and failure to communicate[20]
  • Diverse Needs>[28]
  • Information  [36]
  • Telephone calls [42]
  • Other communication and information [47]

Participation[5]

  • Consent[13]
  • Parental Access and Consent[21]
  • Patients/ Family/ Relatives[29]
  • Other participation[37]

Privacy[6]

  • Confidentiality[14]
  • Hospital Facilities (Privacy)[22]
  • Other privacy[30]

Improving Health [7]

Accountability[8]

Notes

[1]Our services are organised to ensure equity of access to  public health and social care services.

[2]We treat people with dignity respect and compassion.

[3]We provide services in a safe environment, delivered by competent, skilled and trusted professionals. 

[4]We listen carefully and provide clear and comprehensive health information and advice.

[5]We involve people and their families and carers in shared decision making about their health care.

[6]We ensure adequate personal space to ensure privacy in providing care and personal social services.  We maintain strict confidentiality of personal information.

[7]Our services promote health, prevent disease and support and empower those with chronic disease to self care.

[8]We welcome your complaints and feedback about care and services and work to address your concerns.

[9]Accessibility / resources

  • Equipment (Lack of equipment, poor repair or unavailable)
  • Medication (Specific needs of patients not met (due to resources)) 
  • Personnel 
  • Services
  • Treatment (Specific needs of patients not met (due to resources))

[10]  Alleged inappropriate behaviour

  • Patient
  • Staff
  • Visitor

[11] Adequate Human Resources

  • Competency
  • Complement
  • Skill mix

[12] Communication skills

  • Patient felt their opinion was dismissed / discounted 
  • Disagreement about expectations
  • Inadequate listening and response
  • Inappropriate comments from staff member e.g. being asked questions they've been asked before
  • Lack of support  e.g. in case of news being given and no follow up support
  • Language barrier between patients/relatives and staff e.g. staff member not fluent in English
  • No opportunity to ask questions 
  • Non verbal tone / body language
  • Open disclosure (lack of)
  • Patient dissatisfied with questions e.g. being asked questions they've been asked before or type or style of questioning
  • Patient felt rushed 
  • Staff not introducing themselves and letting patients know their role
  • Staff unsympathetic 
  • Tone of voice e.g. inappropriate / disrespectful / harsh etc.
  • Untimely delivery of information 

[13] Consent

  • Consent not obtained
  • Lack of informed consent e.g. consent received over phone, language barriers, patient highly medicated.
  • Patient felt coerced

[14] Confidentiality

  • Breach of another patient's confidentiality inappropriate disclosure of personal information
  • Breach of patient confidentiality inappropriate disclosure of personal information
  • Security of files and records

[15] Empowerment

  • Independence and self care not supported
  • Lack / provision of patient / carer education
  • Patient / family preference discounted / disrespected patient's request for alternative therapies not respected

[16] Patient feedback

  • Feedback not provided to patients on improvements made as result of their feedback
  • Information about the complaints / patient feedback process not available
  • Patient concerns not dealt with promptly
  • Quality of response to the complaint made
  • Where to go to ask questions in relation to services and giving feedback (visibility of customer services)

[17] Appointment - delays

  • Appointment - cancelled and not rearranged (Any pre-booked clinic or diagnostic appointment cancelled by hospital); 
  • Appointment - delay in issuing appointment (Excessive delay in issuing an appointment from the time the referral was received by the hospital);
  • Appointment - postponed (Any prebooked clinic or diagnostic appointment postponed / rescheduled by hospital);
  • Surgery / therapies / diagnostics - delayed or postponed (Any pre-booked therapy session, diagnostic test, or surgical procedure delayed or postponed);
  • Operation and opening times of clinics (Not seen at the appointment time and excessive delay experienced / clinic start time delayed)

[18] Delivery of care

  • Lack of respect shown to patient during examination / consultation
  • No concern for patient as a person e.g. speaking to family members rather than patient.
  • Patient's dignity not respected

[19] Diagnosis

  • Diagnosis - misdiagnosis
  • Diagnosis - delayed diagnosis
  • Diagnosis - contradictory diagnosis

[20] Delay and failure to communicate

  • Breakdown in communication between staff or areas e.g. staff not passing on information to other department, nurse did not tell doctor not to inform mother
  • Failure / delay to communicate with outside agency/organisation
  • Failure / delay in communicating with patient  e.g. abnormal test result, appointment times etc.
  • Advising patient of treating consultant 
  • Failure / delay in communicating with relatives
  • Failure / delay in notifying consultant (external) e.g. test results/follow up
  • Failure / delay to communicate with GP / referral source e.g. test results/follow up
  • Lack of information provided about medication side effects (KPI) 

[21] Parental Access and Consent

  • Consent, guardianship and information issues related to lesbian, gay parental relationships
  • Correct procedure not consented for
  • Guardianship consent not explained
  • Mother or father unable to access information Only one parent receives information
  • Mother/Father/Guardian not informed

[22] Hospital Facilities (Privacy)

  • Lack of privacy during consultation/discussing condition
  • Lack of privacy during examination/ treatment
  • Privacy - No single room
  • Privacy - Overcrowding

[23] Holistic Care

  • Lack of information / support on how to prevent further illness / disease
  • Lack of understanding as to what is important to the patient

[24] Finance

  • Bill dispute
  • Bill sent to deceased patient
  • Cost of products
  • Insurance cover
  • Invoice error
  • Unhappy with income collection process

[25] Appointment - other

  • No / lost referral letter (No record of referral or referral lost in hospital system)
  • Appointment - request for earlier appointment (Dissatisfaction with appointment date issued)
  • Unavailability of service (Service required but cannot be provided for any reason by hospital (e.g. catchment area))

[26] Discrimination

  • Age
  • Civil status
  • Disability
  • Family status
  • Gender
  • Membership of traveller community
  • Race
  • Religion
  • Sexual orientation
  • Socio-economic

[27] Test

  • Delay / failure to report test results
  • Incorrect tests ordered
  • No tests ordered
  • Mislabeled test result/sample
  • Mislaid sample
  • Performed on wrong patient
  • Repeat test required Insufficient / compromised sample taken initially
  • Result not available
  • Delay in transport/collection of sample

[28] Diverse Needs

  • Interpretation service (e.g. Braille services) e.g. offered/ available
  • Special needs
  • Translation service e.g. offered/ available

[29] Patients/ Family/ Relatives

  • Excluded from decision making process - family / relatives / advocate / next of kin
  • Excluded from decision making process - patient
  • Opinion discounted - family / relatives / advocate / next of kin opinion/ choice discounted / ignored
  • Opinion discounted - patient opinion/ choice discounted / ignored
  • Parent not allowed accompany child in recovery room
  • Parent not allowed accompany child to theatre
  • Second opinion Not offered recommended or available

[30] If you have a complaint which fits in this section, however, there is no category for it please include it here and note the category in the notes column.  Thank you.

[31] Catering

  • Dietary requirements not met
  • Food quality

[32] If you have a complaint which fits in this section, however, there is no category for it please include it here and note the category in the notes column.  Thank you.

[33] Admission - delays

  • Delayed - elective bed (Excessive waiting period for elective admission (waiting list))
  • Delayed - emergency bed (Excessive length of time from decision to admit to actual bed)
  • Admission - delay in admission process (Excessive waiting time from registration to treatment)
  • Admission – postponed (Pre-booked admission / postponed / cancelled)

[34] End-of-Life Care

  • Breaking bad news e.g. how the bad news was broken
  • Breaking bad news - private area unavailable
  • Death cert - delay in issuing death cert
  • Death cert - incorrect / returned death cert
  • Delay in release and condition of body
  • Inattention to patient discomfort
  • Mortuary facilities
  • Organ retention
  • Palliative care
  • Poor communication e.g.  general communication - family found out inadvertently that patient was DNR.
  • Single room for patient unavailable
  • Treatment of deceased not respected

[35] Continuity of care (internal)

  • Poor clinical handover

[36] Information 

  • Conflicting information 
  • Confusing information 
  • Insufficient and inadequate information 
  • Misinformation  e.g. being told incorrect information / diagnosis / results / instructions

[37] If you have a complaint which fits in this section, however, there is no category for it please include it here and note the category in the notes column.  Thank you.

[38] Smoking Policy

  • Non-compliance (visitor, patient, staff smoking)

[39] Admission - other

  • Admission - refused admission by hospital (Patient / family / other requesting admission but not accommodated by the hospital)

[40] Ethnicity

  • Insensitivity to cultural beliefs and values
  • Requests not respected
  • Special food requests unavailable

[41] Continuity of care (external)

  • Lack of approved home care packages
  • Lack of community supports
  • Lack of medical devices / faulty equipment
  • Lack of support services post discharge e.g. nursing home/ home help etc. 
  • Unsuitable home environment

[42] Telephone calls

  • Telephone call not returned 
  • Telephone call unanswered

[43] If you have a complaint which fits in this section, however, there is no category for it please include it here and note the category in the notes column.  Thank you.

[44] Hospital facilities

  • Creche
  • Lack of adequate seating (Not enough public seating or specific patient seating requirements)
  • Lack of baby changing facilities
  • Lack of / minimal breastfeeding facilities
  • Lack of toilet and washroom facilities (general)
  • Lack of toilet and washroom facilities (special needs)
  • Lack of wheelchair access (Lack of ramps, door or lift access)
  • No treatment area / space for consultation / trolley facilities
  • Shop
  • Signage (internal and external)

[45] If you have a complaint which fits in this section, however, there is no category for it please include it here and note the category in the notes column.  Thank you.

[46] Discharge

  • Adherence to discharge policy
  • Delayed discharge 
  • Discharge against medical advice
  • No discharge letter
  • Patient / family refuse discharge
  • Premature discharge 

[47] If you have a complaint which fits in this section, however, there is no category for it please include it here and note the category in the notes column.  Thank you.

[48] Hospital room facilities (access to)

  • Bed location
  • Disability facilities (e.g. no access for wheelchair facilities)
  • Isolation / single room facilities
  • Overcrowding
  • Public
  • Semi-private / private

[49] Health and Safety issues

  • Building not secure
  • Central heating
  • Equipment (lack of / failure of / wrong equipment used)
  • Failure to provide a safe environment
  • Fixtures and fittings
  • Furnishing
  • Lights
  • Manual handling
  • Noise levels
  • Overcrowding
  • Pest control
  • Slips / trips and falls
  • Temperature regulation
  • Waste Management

[50]  Parking

  • Access to disabled spaces
  • Access to spaces
  • Car parking charges
  • Clamping / Declamping of car
  • Condition or maintenance of car parks
  • Damaged cars
  • Location of pay machine

[51] Health care records

  • Admission / registration process error
  • Inaccurate information on healthcare record / hospital systems
  • Missing chart
  • Missing films/scans
  • Patient impersonation (identify theft) e.g. patient becomes aware that their identity has been used to access services previously
  • Poor quality control of chart
  • Poor recording of information Insufficient / illegible
  • Wrong records applied to patient

[52] Transfer issues

  • External transfer (between hospitals or other facilities)
  • Internal transfer (between wards / departments)

[53] Hygiene

  • Cleanliness of area
  • Hand Hygiene / Gel Dispensers e.g. insufficient number of dispensers available or empty
  • Linen (beds and Curtains)
  • Spills on floors
  • Waste management

[54] Transport

  • External transportation (Taxi / Minibus transportation/ ambulance or other)
  • Internal transportation

[55] Infection prevention and control

  • Communication deficit - infection status - family not informed of infection status
  • Health Care Associated Infection
  • Non compliance with Infection and Control policies and protocols staff not washing hand between patients / wearing gloves
  • Personal hygiene of staff

[56] Visiting times

  • Lack of visiting policy enforcement
  • Special visiting times not accommodated

[57] Patient property

  • Clothes
  • Dentures
  • Glasses
  • Hearing Aid
  • Jewellery
  • Lack of secure space
  • Money
  • Personal equipment
  • Toys

[58] If you have a complaint which fits in this section, however, there is no category for it please include it here and note the category in the notes column.  Thank you.

[59]  Medication

  • Administering error All issues related to giving medications to patients 
  • Dispensing All issues related to putting medication together for a patient 
  • Prescribing All issues related to prescriptions

[60] Tissue Bank

  • Bone marrow
  • Cord blood
  • Cornea implant
  • Cryogenics
  • Fertility issues e.g. cost of storage etc. 
  • Heart valves
  • Samples/test results
  • Skin
  • Stem cell

[61] Treatment and Care

  • Failure / delay in treatment / delivery of care e.g. Delay - from time of triage to review by medics
  • Failure / delay to diagnose
  • Failure to act on abnormal diagnostic results
  • Inconsistent delivery of care
  • Insufficient time for delivery of care
  • Lack of follow-up care
  • Lack of knowledge in staff 
  • Lack of monitoring of pain control
  • Lack of patient supervision
  • Practitioners not working together / cooperating e.g. care not being planned in a co-ordinated way.
  • Prolonged fasting
  • Unsatisfactory treatment or care
  • Unsuccessful treatment or care