University College Hospital, Galway
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Hospital News
- » COVID close contact health staff back to work (13-01-2021)
- » Concern about ED care in the future (08-06-2020)
- » Public-private hospital agreement reached (31-03-2020)
- » 2,000 hospital beds needed in next two years (20-01-2020)
- » HSE apologises for ED overcrowding (07-01-2020)
- » Government has "betrayed" patients and staff (16-10-2019)
- » Consultants agree to meet Dept of Health (03-10-2019)
- » Hospital patients facing "chaotic" winter - IMO (25-09-2019)
- » Urgent Care Centre for children opens (26-07-2019)
- » Thousands of nurses on strike (28-01-2019)
- » Overwhelming capacity problems in health service (07-01-2019)
- » Hospitals not dealing with complaints properly (14-11-2018)
- » Trolley figures could hit 1,000 this winter (17-09-2018)
- » 6,800+ patients on trolleys in June (02-07-2018)
- » Concern over pressures facing health staff (05-03-2018)
- » Hospital waiting lists 'out of control' (20-07-2017)
- » Children waiting up to five years for eye care (23-03-2016)
- » ED nurses to be balloted on industrial action (04-11-2015)
- » 7,700+ patients on trolleys during May (12-06-2015)
- » ED patients 'will die' due to overcrowding (06-01-2015)
- » Root causes of self-harm must be tackled (09-10-2014)
- » Revamp planned for non-hospital care (08-10-2014)
- » HSE figs 'confirm patients are suffering' (24-09-2014)
- » Irish drinking well above OECD average (02-07-2014)
- » Shock report on mental care suicides (24-06-2014)
- » Medical card policy - then and now (17-06-2014)
- » Govt approves scheme to return cards (17-06-2014)
- » PAC chair wants health chiefs to resign (12-06-2014)
- » HSE had surplus of €31m last year (12-06-2014)
- » Govt halts medical card reviews (29-05-2014)
- » Medical card cut plan hits legal snag (29-05-2014)
- » Cancer patients hit by medical card cuts (19-05-2014)
- » Waiting lists on upward spiral again (15-04-2014)
- » HSE says €1.6m in top ups should end (14-04-2014)
- » HSE may outsource admin work (06-04-2014)
- » Finance control issues at homecare firm (03-04-2014)
- » HSE ultimatum on private practice (31-03-2014)
- » Health now 'doing less with less' (31-03-2014)
- » Shock findings in HSE agency audit (19-02-2014)
- » Two hospitals face fines over top-ups (14-02-2014)
- » Patients taken off waiting list 'in error' (13-02-2014)
- » Hospital filled CEO post without approval (04-02-2014)
- » Hospitals facing massive cuts (31-01-2014)
- » Service will struggle to meet demands-HSE (14-01-2014)
- » Cancer hospital chiefs got charity top-ups (09-01-2014)
- » Vincent's CEO gets nearly €300,000 (24-12-2013)
- » St Vincent's still tight-lipped on top-ups (20-12-2013)
- » HSE targets €1bn in cuts/savings (18-12-2013)
- » Ex-CRC chief got lump sum from charity (11-12-2013)
- » HSE denies it knew about CRC top-ups (03-12-2013)
Below are the general comments about University College Hospital, Galway as posted by people who have completed the online survey.
Listing 1 to 30 of 440 comments.
05/12/2020
Great care, top marks to all.
This user's rating: | 100% |
17/11/2020
Worst hospital in every way. A&E department is particularly bad. My sister's appendix burst while waiting on a trolley for several hours. Myself I have had so many bad experiences. Maternity is also terrible!!
This user's rating: | 23% |
01/11/2020
Very impressive service considering resources available in terms of numbers of doctors on duty.
This user's rating: | 97% |
02/10/2020
Extremely bad experience.
This user's rating: | 30% |
30/09/2020
Much better experience than a stay in a different hospital three years ago. Can only praise the staff (inc cleaners, food service etc). Was happily surprised.
This user's rating: | 87% |
12/09/2020
Back for my regular scan and attend the vascular clinic. Earlier appointment was cancelled due to current pandemic. However I was consulted over the phone prior to the cancellation and was happy with the outcome. I arrived for my scan at the vascular laboratory a little early and was seen on time by a very pleasant young lady. I then checked in at outpatient administration. My appointment was for later in the day but they kindly said they would try and get me seen earlier as I had travelled from Donegal. My meeting with the consultant was good and he put me at my ease. He even enquired after my brother who had the same problem. All in all, everything was perfect.
This user's rating: | 97% |
20/07/2020
Visit was on night that A&E 'shut down' in early March due to Covid and perhaps was not indicative of general A&E experience but our experience was that the speed of dealing with and subsequently diagnosing the sudden and reasonably unusual illness of my son was to be commended. Communications at all times was open and we felt very secure that we were in the right hands at all times. Thank you all for your professionalism, care and kindness.
This user's rating: | 97% |
15/04/2020
Was admitted two weeks before the birth of my baby, had an amazing experience, the midwives on antenatal ward made my stay so lovely and consultants Mark Dempsey and Catherine Astbury made a very complicated C-section seem easy, the dream team.
This user's rating: | 95% |
03/03/2020
The overcrowded ED was absolutely filthy. Total bedlam. I have experience of Third World healthcare and UCHG couldn't achieve the standards of Third World countries.
This user's rating: | 23% |
23/01/2020
I attended breast check in UCHG recently. The unit is clean and well maintained and the staff are pleasant and it appeared to run efficiently. The amount of outpatient rooms is much more than another hospital I have seen. The big down side is parking - it is horrendous and having to wait and hope some one moves from a parking spot would bring you out in a sweat, especially if you were running late. Parking needs to be rectified in every hospital, it is 2020 not 1990. There was no alternative transport for me to get to my appointment. The infastructure of public transport is not available in rural Ireland so hospital parking should be invested in and capped at a minimum!
This user's rating: | 92% |
18/12/2019
The experience in A&E was the worst I have ever had to endure. The doctor was not very nice, even rude. I was terribly upset by the treatment my brother had to endure. Never felt so upset in my life. I hope no other person has to endure such treatment in A&E again..Treated as if we should not have been there because we were not from Co Galway. We had no say in where the ambulance people took us...oh dear...all so upsetting. Hope nobody belonging to me ever has to go there again.
This user's rating: | 23% |
05/11/2019
Thanks you for all the good care given in Galway University Hospital.
This user's rating: | 95% |
15/10/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 25% |
14/09/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 31% |
29/08/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 31% |
25/06/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 34% |
17/04/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 53% |
15/04/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 40% |
06/02/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 95% |
02/02/2019
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.
This user's rating: | 87% |
15/12/2018
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.
This user's rating: | 20% |
11/11/2018
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.
This user's rating: | 21% |
30/10/2018
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!!!
This user's rating: | 96% |
18/10/2018
Atrocious care - medical misinformation, downright dishonesty, and failure to understand the medical circumstance. Consultant made decision without seeing patient or notes.
This user's rating: | 29% |
10/10/2018
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.
This user's rating: | 92% |
27/09/2018
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.
This user's rating: | 22% |
11/09/2018
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.
This user's rating: | 20% |
08/08/2018
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.
This user's rating: | 49% |
29/06/2018
Well done to the leadership/management at NUIG for the Productive Ward initiative.
This user's rating: | 91% |
11/06/2018
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.
This user's rating: | 33% |