Bereaved mother supports health complaints system

A MOTHER whose son died in hospital after a severe reaction to an antibiotic yesterday launched an initiative to help people complain about the health service.

Loretta Evans, from Donaghmede, Dublin, told of her struggle since the death of her son six years ago to prevent other patients dying in such circumstances.

Her son, Colin, 26, who had a congenital heart problem, died at the Mater Hospital in Dublin in 2005 after undergoing surgery to replace a pacemaker.

His family learned Colin’s consultant had gone away, without signing him over to another medical team, a week prior to his death. Following an internal review into Colin’s death, formal procedures for the transfer of patients have been put in place.

“Financial compensation was never on our agenda,” said Ms Evans. “Money would never have compensated us for losing our wonderful and precious son.”

The family only wanted solid reassurances that what went wrong would never happen again,” she said.

“We wanted a proper and meaningful apology. All of this we got and all of this brought some relief, some closure,” said Ms Evans, who said she got great support from the Irish Patients Association.

Healthcompaints provides information and support about how and where to make complaints on health services or social care. It consists of a leaflet, a poster, a staff guide and a website, www.healthcomplaints.ie.

The initiative is the result of efforts by 17 regulatory bodies and service providers, including the Ombudsman, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), and the Medical Council.

“Making a complaint about Colin’s care helped us to move on,” said Ms Evans. “We have gained satisfaction from knowing that our actions will hopefully improve the lot of others.

“Making a complaint can make a difference but it is not easy. people need information and support and this initiative will certainly help provide some of this.

Ms Evans recalled visiting Colin in hospital, straightening his sheets and fluffing his pillows.

“I looked at Colin and asked if I was fussing. He just smiled and said: ‘That’s your job.’ We miss our Colin.

“To lose a child is beyond comprehension, to lose a child who suffers is beyond pain, but to lose a child who suffers needlessly is beyond agony.”

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Roisín Shortall, said it was important that everyone had the right to make a complaint and be confident that that complaint would be dealt with properly and promptly.

Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly said her office decided in June 2010 to make it easier for people to make a health and social care complaint.

A recent HIQA poll found 84% of people did not know who to complain to and 52% felt too intimidated to complain.

“It is through learning from our mistakes that improvements can be made and patients can receive safer better care,” said Ms O’Reilly.