IRELAND | Ombudsman opens new family room at Mater hospital

Ombudsman Peter Tyndall Monday opened a new family and patient room at the Mater Hospital, Dublin. The family room is part of the Mater’s “end of life” care service and will give families who are losing a loved one a quiet, comfortable and private space where they can also stay the night.

Provision of family rooms in hospitals was one of the recommendations in the Ombudsman’s 2014 report – “A Good Death: a reflection on Ombudsman complaints about end of life care in Irish hospitals.”  

The Ombudsman was also visiting the hospital as part of research for a follow-up report which will be issued later this year.

At the opening, the Ombudsman said: “It is a heart-breaking experience to lose a loved one.  Most people want to spend as much time as possible with their dying family member or friend in a peaceful and private environment.  I am delighted that the Mater hospital will be providing a family room on every ward to enable this to happen.”

Source: Office of the Ombudsman, Ireland