Two examples of cases dealt with by the Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly, cpntained in her annual report published yesterday.
Case 1
The Ombudsman intervened in the case of a couple who complained about the quality of treatment they received from the Midland Health Board following the stillbirth of their child. The couple wanted to find out the cause of the stillbirth but had received little information 10 months later, despite complaints to the hospital. Following the Ombudsman's intervention, the health board carried out a critical incident review and also proposed improvements in how it deals with stillbirths.
Case 2
The Ombudsman also highlighted a case where Kildare County Council had refused a woman details of her position on the council's housing waiting list. The Ombudsman expressed concern about the complaint, as the issue had been highlighted in a previous report in 1999, during which the council said it would start to inform applicants of their approximate position. In relation to the current complaint, the council said providing every applicant with such information would cost too much and it could also leave the council open to providing inaccurate information. The policy has now been changed.