Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before I let my colleagues in, I have a few questions to ask. I commend the Ombudsman on the Learning to Get Better report. I know that from the get go, this is an issue he has committed himself to changing. I commend him and his team on the progress he has made. However, I would relate to him my experience. As he knows, it has changed from dealing with individual hospitals to dealing with hospital groups. With the centralisation of administration, I have found that to be very frustrating as a public representative. Obviously, all that we can do is clarify a patient's rights and issue. As public representatives, we cannot get something to which a person is not entitled but I believe we have an important role to play in terms of our constituents.

In my experience, it has got much worse in terms of quickly getting clarification and answers as a public representative around somebody's experience within the hospital. I have had a poor experience in recent times in this regard. I ask that this be relayed by Mr. Tyndall's office to the various hospital groups. I will not name the hospital or group but, in my experience, there has been a dramatic change in comparison with the past. One could approach an advocate or an office within the hospital that would handle one's concern. Now one is directed to a busy office and it is at the mercy of the gods whether one gets a response. That is not acceptable, and, in respect of the change Mr. Tyndall is trying to bring about, I wanted to relay my experience to him. Perhaps other members would like to comment on that issue.