Notification of serious incident - for patients or immediate family members
Suppose a patient or their family member wants to comment on the healthcare provided. In that case, contacting the healthcare institution or healthcare professional for further information and resolving the matter is preferable.
Suppose the matter cannot be resolved in this way. In that case, submitting a formal complaint or reporting a serious incident to the Directorate of Health may be appropriate after certain conditions are fulfilled.
It is important to read the following before completing and sending a notification of a serious incident.
The patient or their immediate family member may report a serious incident to the Directorate of Health if it occurred after 31 August 2024, resulted in death or permanent damage, and occurred during the provision of healthcare.
If the incident occurred before September 1, 2024, or did not lead to death or permanent injury (severe disability), you should contact the relevant healthcare institution.
The patient or an immediate family member may report to the Directorate of Health a serious incident believed to have occurred during the provision of healthcare.
The Directorate of Health reviews all notifications received and assesses whether there is a risk of recurrence, patient safety is at risk, or improvements are needed.
If the office needs further information, the person who reported the incident will be contacted.
After evaluating the case, the notifier will receive a letter outlining the office's conclusion.
By notifying the Directorate of Health of a serious incident, the notifier enables the Directorate to obtain the necessary data for further investigation.
If notified in the patient's name, their authorisation must be available.
Information will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act and other applicable laws and regulations governing the Directorate of Health's activities.
