Thanks you for all the good care given in Galway University Hospital.

My husband was admitted after having a seizure, and four days later, he is still in A&E waiting to see a neurologist. The experience has been a nightmare so far. Staff very overworked, not enough space, trollies lined up on each side of corridor, no privacy to discuss your illness etc... No dignity, total lack of respect for patient’s condition, food for patients very bad, tea almost cold.

I walked into A&E at 8pm on a Friday after suffering an injury. Friday = 7hrs wait before being told to go home. Sat - arrived at 10am, spoke to a surgeon at 9.30pm, again told to go home but come back at 7.30am for surgery on Sunday. Sunday- arrived at 7.30am and told at 2pm go home, no room, to come in again Monday for surgery, Monday- arrived in at 7.30am and was finally seen at 12.30pm, only to be told there is no space in theatre. The only way I could get surgery was in a normal room, under local anaesthetic, as the nerve block proposed would need theatre. I either consented or I went home for a 4th day in a row, so obviously I consented. The surgery took 12 different injections, without any pain relief from said injections, each one excruciating, by number 6 my body was shaking violently in agony, to the point the nurse had said to the surgeon, we are torturing this poor boy, he needs theatre, to which the surgeon replied we either do this now or he goes home again. The surgeon stopped to ask if I wanted to continue, I felt like I had no choice as I was in agony but to continue. Post-op I was told that's it, you can leave but come back Thursday for a check up, no pain medication given to me. I have now been in agony for hours at home recovering, ibuprofen and paracetamol are all I have at hand from my pharmacy and they may as well be skittles. In total, I have spent over 37hrs in a waiting room over four days, with a wound down to the bone, no food or water, 50 euro worth of taxis in and out to get seen, and when seen, given a quick solution to reduce the number of people needing to be seen, rather than what would be the best care for the patient. I honestly felt like nobody gave a damn, felt like I was in a 3rd world country seeking medical aid. The experience is something that will stay with me for life.

Extremely over crowded facilities with no privacy during what is a very stressful time. Feels like you are on a conveyor belt. Politics between wards hinders the care you receive. I hope never to have to use the maternity unit here again.

I was brought into UCHG severely dehydrated. On arrival, the doctor said I needed IV fluids. Nine hours later I was still on a trolley getting sick continuously and with severe diarrhoea. To say I am disgusted with the staff is an understatement.

I was totally shocked at the amount of very sick people on trolleys in the corridors. There were no beds to be had in Galway that weekend! I was treated in a side ward with no pillow or blanket for the night I stayed. If you can avoid it, do not go here.

I was admitted to A&E for an overdose with the intentions of taking my own life. Was taken in immediately and assessed and then waited for hours to be seen by a psychiatric team. Was asked numerous irrelevant questions and after, was told to go home and go out for a walk. Zero understanding or empathy towards my situation.

From the day I entered for a outpatient appointment, from Sharon the nurse in endoscopy unit to the girls on the endoscopy day ward, all were excellent.

Galway hospital is a nightmare for parking. It is far better to park elsewhere and get the bus from the city centre out to the hospital. Many people have to travel huge distances to attend Galway Hospital - I had to travel from Erris, North Mayo. It's a headache taking two days to attend a five minute appointment, but, at least on the last occasion I went through the ordeal, the young female doctor saw the cause of my long term problem instantly and was able to do a simple procedure under local anaesthetic immediately. I haven't felt better for years. That last visit was well worth while. I received my follow up appointment within the week. Well done Galway on that occasion at least.

Hygiene appalling. Dirty floors, leaking toilet. Equipment not working. Arrogant doctors. Overcrowded ward. Visitors had to stand as no room for chairs. Inedible food. The care was so poor I discharged myself as I did not feel safe there. I have experience of German and French hospitals and if they were like Galway UCH there would be riots in the streets. Will never go near UCHG ever again and would not permit them to treat any member of my family.

Dirty and chaotic. Twenty hours on a trolley with 3 fractures, a head injury and pneumonia. Patient 76 years old. Equipment old and not clean. Patronising doctors. No explanations and limited English. Would never go near this place again.

The maternity ward, midwifes,doctors, nursing staff and catering staff are absolutely fantastic and I want to thank them all for looking after me for five days, they were a godsend, much love!!!

Atrocious care - medical misinformation, downright dishonesty, and failure to understand the medical circumstance. Consultant made decision without seeing patient or notes.

Extremely good given that I wasn’t a model patient. They went above and beyond the call of duty in every way. I can’t pick out a special nurse because they were all 100%. God bless you all and keep up the good work. Veronica F.

I had my son in the maternity unit last year. All I can say is the conditions in a third world country would be better. The level of professionalism between doctors and nurses was a disgrace. I was not listened to consistently and only was acknowledged when my son's heartbeat was not being detected. As a result of my experience I was left with severe physiological issues. Although in a better place now and I am able to speak out about it, I will no doubt be affected the rest of my life.

I have visited with my daughter several times upon referral from her GP. She gets repeated respiratory infections. Tonight was just the biscuit. I presented with my daughter who has very high temperatures and a cough like she smokes 60 fags a day and no bloods or anything taken.....just told as always it's a VIRUS but keep her on the ANTIBIOTICS her GP prescribed. Bring her back if she gets worse. Don't worry I will bring her somewhere but not to this dump.

Hospital was filthy. Triaged and sent back out to wait in emergency area with blood leaking for four hours without being examined. No one ever cleaned up behind me. Bathroom that I was sent to use inside emergency room was filthy and bloody after I used it and not cleaned. I was taken in to be examined. When I was in the cubicle, tried to wash my hands, no soap and no paper towels to dry them. I was told I needed surgery immediately. I told the surgeon to wash her hands. No soap, no paper towels. Not even surprised but said the operating room was clean. Sorry not believable. I got antibiotics and was discharged. She seemed like a concerned and qualified surgeon but if the person pushing the broom doesn’t do their job, you can’t do your job.

Well done to the leadership/management at NUIG for the Productive Ward initiative.

I presented at A&E after being hit by a car. I was a pedestrian and had suffered a blow to my back with many cuts and bruises. I asked for some cold packs for the swelling while waiting and was told they didn't have any. A member of staff advised my friend who accompanied me that he could possible get some ice at Supermacs. That sums up my experience.

The bathrooms was wet even though they said they washed the floors, but funny thing was they had no mops with them. There was also a bad smell from the bathroom. I have type 2 diabetes and needed something to eat but was told I couldn't until I saw the doctor, even though my sugar levels were at 27.

Excellent care for a very sick baby and worried mum and dad.

My uncle-in-law attended the ED at 12.59 pm and no bloods were taken until half 4. What is the point of a triage nurse if they only do the vital signs and don't take bloods??? Absolute joke!!! Doctor took bloods at half 4. I thought that nurses working in specialised areas could do bloods etc...obviously not. The whole ED system is chaotic!! It's nearly 10pm and still no sign of being seen. He has a serious issue with his leg and the nurse didn't even look at his leg!!! Am a nurse myself and that is disgraceful!

Presented in the ED at the advice of my child's consultant in the UK following a procedure. The first doctor we met had no idea of the procedure that my son had undergone and seemed puzzled at the presentation. Waited another period of time to have three surgeons announce that my son would need surgery that evening. Another period of time passes and the case was referred to a different hospital for review. Eventually told that our son would not be having surgery despite being made to fast at seven months old. Discharged from hospital despite the emergency of the case. Had to ask my consultant in London to contact the other hospital on our behalf and explain our case. Shortly after, we were told to present to the other hospital with immediate effect. Arrived and my son was treated and discharged within an hour. We won't be attending UCHG again.

My son received a cut over his eye that required attention in A&E. The nurse who triaged him after midnight did not clean the wound, they placed a bandage over the cut, no attention to cleaning the blood from his face, no reassurance and my son was then asked to return to the waiting room to wait .We made decision to inform staff that we would leave and return in the morning. The nurse we met the next morning was excellent, immediately cleaned the wound, applied steri strips, asked a doctor to assess, tetnus injection, follow-on advise and discharged home. All completed in less than two hours. Pity the nurse the night before was not as attentive and efficient.

The system is completely dysfunctional. However it has become normal for the staff so they so not even notice how stressful it is for users of the service. If it was a business it would not survive. There is a complete lack of communication between all parts of the hospital. It is like a human working without a brain, so they do not know how to communicate with their arms etc. Imagine secretaries not knowing what doctors are doing, doctors not knowing if they can get a bed, theatres closing due to staff shortages, people going on holidays and no one being able to access the work they have been doing ...... quite shocking.

One staff member was horrible, lacked compassion, stated mother had no quality of life and what was the purpose of intubation with her illness, what have we achieved by doing it? If a patient wants to fight to live that is their right and when a next kin was advised by a doctor to intubate, and we did in order to preserve a life of a loved one, we should be respected at a very difficult time not critiqued for it. This staff member along with another doctor put a DNR on our mother with again no consultation with the family. So they removed the intubation tube without as much as a phone call to family even though a doctor had told us there was risks removing the tube. I demanded to speak with the two staff members but neither had the courtesy to meet me. Eventually the DNR was reversed but it's a disgrace. The doctor looking after my relative has not spoken to the family or next of kin at all.

Received excellent care during the delivery of our first baby, from the labour ward to the post natal ward. Had to be readmitted unwell and again was looked after extremely well in quite a poorly condition. Really positive first birth experience.

My mother was taken by ambulance to casualty with what we thought was a stroke. The staff were excellent and had assessed and stabilised her in a short time. She was transferred to CCU where she received excellent care and had a pacemaker fitted. I cannot praise enough the staff, from ambulance crew who came to the house to Elaine in resuscitation in A&E, the medical team, porters and wonderful CCU staff especially nurse Cat McMahon, Dr Myelotte and Dr Nash and radiology. My mum made a great recovery and is home with us again.

Went in after an adverse reaction experience in another hospital. The staff in the other hospital were wonderful, couldn't ask for better staff and care. However, when transferred here, I was left waiting in a great amount of pain sitting on a chair crying. Was told six times I would be given something to help with pain but didn't get anything. Was brought to X-ray, had door hit me on side of head on the way and then got dumped at X-ray door. X-ray staff were shocked. Then after X-ray the staff called them to take me back to A&E but no one came. X-ray said that it was shocking that no one was there for me. Then 40 minutes later someone came to take me back to A&E and then I was dumped on a chair again in very bad pain. At 1am saw a doctor who said I shouldn't be left on the chair in that amount of pain, went to get a nurse, then got a trolley for me. I was told I would get painkillers and a bed in ward plus other medication but got nothing until 5am. Was told there was a bed for me but I had to try get up in so much pain by my self. Got to the so called ward and there was a trolley at the side with a sink and a TV above my head, no privacy what so ever. Had awful time trying to get up onto trolley. Then when a nurse seen I was in some amount of pain I was given something finally. Still had pain but helped a little. Then had a camera test, blood pressure was low, was taken back down to ward where the trolley I was on was still in a corner of the room. Was then told to go home, take painkillers and come back again in two weeks for another camera test. Was told I have to wait for prescription. Then I was told to go buy painkillers, then told I should wait for prescription again, and told again not I was not getting one!. At this point, pain was bad again and I just walked out of hospital and said nothing. I was treated badly, I didn't get offered any food. I never like going to this hospital, it's always the same.

Hospital could do with a revamp. Some parts of it could be cleaner and the food could be better but it's a hospital and not a hotel after all. Medical care was world class and nursing staff were lovely. Thanks all x