Patient Advocacy Service launched in Donegal

A newly established Patient Advocacy Service is offering support to people in the Donegal
area who want to make a complaint about the care they have received in a public
hospital.
The Patient Advocacy Service provides free, independent and confidential information and
support to people making a formal complaint about their care in a Health Service Executive
(HSE) funded public acute hospital.
People in the Donegal area looking for support can contact the Patient Advocacy Service
confidential helpline on 0818 293003 to speak to a trained advocate who will help them to
get information on the HSE’s complaints investigation process, called ‘Your Service, Your
Say’ .
The professionally trained independent advocate will support and empower the person
making the complaint, with the aim of highlighting their views and concerns.
The advocate will explain to the person how to write a formal complaint and what to include in it. They will also help the person prepare for meetings with the HSE about their
complaint, and they will help the person explore their options following a response from the
HSE to their complaint.
Service Manager for the Patient Advocacy Service, Claire Lehane, said: “Until now, people
in Donegal and across Ireland who experienced difficulties in the Irish health service often
felt there was nowhere for them to turn.
“The newly established Patient Advocacy Service offers patients the guidance and
information they need to make a complaint when they are unhappy with the care they
receive. It is free, independent and run by our professionally trained patient advocates, who will use their compassion and knowledge to guide people through the HSE complaints
process.”
For people in the Donegal area looking for advocacy support to make a formal complaint,
you can contact the Patient Advocacy Service helpline on 0818 293003. The helpline is open
Monday to Friday from 10am until 4pm, including lunchtimes. You can also email
info@patientadvocacyservice.ie .
The Patient Advocacy Service was commissioned by the National Patient Safety Office in the Department of Health and is provided by the National Advocacy Service for People with
Disabilities.
The Patient Advocacy Service receives no funding from the HSE and is therefore fully
independent of the HSE. More info about the Patient Advocacy Service is available at:
patientadvocacyservice.ie