Complaints against Cork hospitals jump 70% in four years

Formal complaints lodged across Cork hospitals have increased by more than 70% in a four-year period, according to new data from the Health Service Executive (HSE).

A spokesperson for the HSE told a recent meeting of the South West Regional Health Forum at Cork County Hall that 2,427 formal complaints had been lodged with the service against Cork hospitals since 2022.

Each complaint made to the service is categorised under eight separate headings, including access, accountability, communication and information, dignity and respect, improving health, participation, and safe and effective care.

In 2025, there were 840 formal complaints made against Cork hospitals, with the highest, at 288, lodged against Cork University Hospital (CUH), followed by 239 at the Mercy, 190 at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH), and 123 at Cork University Maternity Hospital.

Increase of 38% on 2024

This represents an increase of 38% on the 611 complaints made against Cork hospitals in 2024, and a 71% increase on the 492 complaints made in 2022.

Of the 840 complaints made last year, 458 were filed under the 'safe and effective care' category, of which almost half, at 212, were made against CUH.

The second highest number of complaints made last year, standing at 172, fell under the 'communication and information' category, of which 72 were made against the Mercy.

This was followed by 125 complaints under the 'access' category, where the highest amount, at 66, were made against SIVUH.

Further, 60 complaints were made under the 'dignity and respect' category, with CUH receiving the highest at 27; 13 complaints were made under the 'accountability' category, with SIVUH receiving the highest at four; seven complaints were made under the 'privacy' category, with CUH receiving the most at three; six complaints were made under the 'participation' category, of which five were made against the Mercy; and five complaints were made under the 'improving health' category, with SIVUH receiving the most, at two.

In sharing the data, the HSE spokesperson said that complaints and feedback provide “an important source of information for the health service”.

“In addition to addressing concerns raised by individuals and families, complaint trends are monitored to identify opportunities for quality improvement, enhance patient experience and support organisational learning across services,” the spokesperson said.

“The primary objective of the complaints process is to support learning, service improvement and accountability.” 

However, Sinn Féin Cork South Central TD, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire described the figures are “very worrying”.

“That is a lot of people who have had a negative experience, but in many instances, I would say that's not the fault of the medical professionals on the ground,” said Mr Ó Laoghaire.

"When you consider the significant increase in the trolley figures, I would suspect a lot of the complaints are about situations like this.

“There's no way we can have a health system that is so understaffed without it ultimately having an impact on clinical outcomes.

"There is need for a very significant overhaul of our healthcare system,” he added.

“This increase in formal complaints points to an escalating crisis in our hospitals, despite the very best efforts of staff.

“We need to invest more in primary care centres to take the pressure off our hospitals."