Admitted at 11.40 with a query on cerebral aneurism. My husband was left in waiting room for two hours, no one communicated with him. I texted him and told him to go home and collect me later if I was ok. Sent for CAT scan at 5pm, left sitting in that dept for 90 mins while others brought down after me were seen before me. Thought I was going to pass out and asked to be seen. I apologised for insisting but explained I felt unwell and needed to lie down. I was told by staff member it wasn't her fault I had to wait. After scan told to wait outside for porter. After 15 mins no one arrived I got up and walked back to my unit holding wall to steady myself. No one queried if I was ok, no porter came looking for me along the way and nothing said in unit when I arrived alone. I asked for something to eat and was told there were sandwiches in waiting area. Went out and got one and cup of milk which was warm as it was left in warm area but as this was only food and drink I was offered all day I was left with mo alternative. Was then told I needed lumber puncture and would have to be admitted, it was now after 7pm. Junior doctor tried procedure for over one hour and was unsuccessful. Told I would have to have MRI next day. I asked for medication for severe headache and was given paracetamol again although they had no effect. Next day was repeat, waited all day in pain and largely ignored. Blood pressure elevated all day. Had MRI at 6 and came back to ward to find cold supper on my tray. I asked if it could be heated and was told no. Was asked if I was going to eat it, I said no and my tray taken with no offer of alternative. I rang my family and told them to come to collect me. Doctor came said I could go home "if you want". I said I was going as I was not receiving any treatment for severe headache or high blood pressure and I would go to my GP. Two nurses were clearly unhappy and advised me to stay. I explained that there was no point staying under a doctor who was neither addressing the symptoms or linking with other specialists I attend for other conditions. My GP put me on blood pressure tablets, treated me with steroids for possible lupus-related headache and referred me back to nephrologist. Six months later, my blood pressure is still not under control and likely related to kidney function. I took up two days of a bed in CUH mostly just waiting for scans to investigate one possible problem when it was clear the doctor had no interest in finding actual cause nor did they liaise with three other consultants I see for other health problems. I was made to feel like a nuisance, I was offered no food or drink all day on first day and only when I asked was given sandwiches and milk which were sitting in warm room possibly for hours. As for dignity and respect the unit was mixed sex with a shared toilet opposite my bed opened directly onto ward it was not clean. An elderly confused lady was taken in by nurses on several occasion and all surrounding patients could hear everything nurse said to her in relation to continence etc... it was degrading for her and embarrassing for all. The whole experience was dreadful and does not match with the excellent professionals I have met as an outpatient. Note I came home and remained unfit to work or drive for approx seven days.

i also am Hiv positive and while I am mainly happy with the clinic sometimes I find you have to wait a long time on the day of your appointment. 2 weeks ago i was there for a 2.45pm appointment and did not get out of the hospital until 4.25pm. Also I find the way you are advised to keep quiet about being positive only adds to stigma. I understand why the staff do this but its time we started to be more open in Ireland about HIV it's the only way we can stop new infections.

Unprofessional, they could not read my MRI scan report and referred me to another doctor. After 9 months waiting, I found out they never sent this letter. I am sorry that I visited CUH.

I spent a period of time with my baby son in Tir na nOg ward for an acute illness. I have to say every encounter with all the staff on this ward was fabulous. We were allocated a bed straight away on route from south doc. When we arrived we were admitted promptly and treatment commenced within a short period. Staff were pleasant and professional. The environment was clean. The only aspect that I could criticise was the follow up appointment and outpatient investigations never materialised irrespective of it being chased up. I had to proceed to another healthcare provider to obtain these.

Not enough staff available for the amount of work to be done. When attended to excellent care.

Absolutely disgusting, aggressive staff.

Filthy and chaotic.

1. The dirtiest hospital I have ever visited. 2. Child's play room within A&E was filthy. I also found a vomit tray that had a syringe in it. When brought to the nurse's attention she simply shrugged her shoulders and did not apologise. 3. When seen, the doctor seemed vague and unsure when presented with my daughter's symptoms. He did not order a blood test and assumed incorrectly that her symptoms were the result of an allergic reaction to the antibiotics prescribed by her GP that morning. Because it was 3am, I believe that he had zero experience dealing with her issues. She was later diagnosed with HFMD after we brought her to SouthDoc and later admitted to Bons Secours hospital where the professionalism and experience was immediately evident. A full blood test was ordered and we felt that her condition was being taken seriously and that results would be achieved. We were extremely disappointed by the lack of experience, care and professionalism displayed by staff at the CUH. We would be reluctant to attend this hospital in the future. They also wasted no time in sending out the bill of 100euro, which is being handled by an ext ernal debt agency, and to which we have no intention of paying. No fix-No fee.

I have to say never in my life did I ever experience anything so appalling as this hospital. Six hours after a surgical procedure, I asked a nurse could I have some tea and toast as I had been fasting for 36 hours at this stage. I was told when the catering staff would come in she would get me something. When they did arrive in I asked for tea and toast to be told they were too busy. Later on that night at 11pm, I got one slice of bread and a cup of tea as the toaster was broken and the bread was now down to one slice of toast per person!

The staff were always smiling and happy and so helpfull even though they were understaffed and not a complaint from any one of them. They have my deepest thanks for all they did for me.

The only thing I noticed was that the nursing night staff were extremely busy. I heard them saying that staff were out sick and they weren't replaced. I think they had too much to do and not enough staff on duty.

Very unsatisfactory experience. Consultants were impossible to track down. I had to take whole days off work in the hope of talking to / meeting one. No one took care of the patient as a whole person and nobody seemed capable of joining the dots. I hope I never have to set foot in that place again for as long as I live.

I had a most unusual situation whereby the day I checked out from my admitted gastroenterology condition I had a stroke on my return home journey and was readmitted within two hours of checking out. The attention of the A&E team and neurologist was first class and definitely contributed to my quick and 98% recovery. The care and attention on the wards was excellent and supportive of my difficult and unusual circumstance. Excellent hospital.

Medical care second to none. Cost of car parking outrageous. Lack of security in A&E - I was there on a Thursday night (student night out in Cork) - there was a few quite drunk and noisy students there shouting and roaring and no security to quieten them down, very annoying when you are not feeling well.

Excellent and professional care. Indebted to this team for my family member's treatment and recovery.

My husband was the patient. Suffers from MS, completely dependant. Emergency care excellent. Problems- on general ward. Was given his first shower on day thirteen only when I spoke to the director of nursing. Was left lying in bed for up to 19 hours a day because not enough staff available to hoist him in and out of bed. Feeding was done in a very rushed manner by staff, had to be there myself to make sure he got his food

I went in for a Sleep apnoea test, which was a complete disaster. It took 1 hour to fit the sensors, this is usual I think, I usually go to bed at 10. 30 to11pm, left until 11.30pm and then when the lady doing the test came to turn the unit on, the battery was dead. So it had to be charged, took 45 min, so I was awake all night Disaster is all I can say !!!!

I was brought in by ambulance on the June Bank Holiday Monday after collapsing. The paramedic crew were superb, calm & reassuring, stabilising me before hospital etc. They came from either Macroom or Millstreet and were very caring. My experience in A/E was very positive. They organised blood tests, X-rays and a scan within a very short time. The doctors were very thorough. I got a bed at 12.30am. The 4th year student nurses were especially good, very attentive, gentle and caring.

Great Hospital. Well organised, waiting time to be seen was quick. The staff were lovely & respectful. The hospital's hygiene was great. I was admitted around 1997/1998 & the nurses were excellent. I was well looked after & felt trustworthy towards them. If I do have to go to Hospital again, I will be returning to CUH! Thanks so much to all the staff, Nurses, Surgeons & paramedics for saving my life!

What an amazing Consultant - you have changed my life - Thank you.

Top class hospital, can't say enough about it. Very clean, friendly and reassuring.

If I had a complaint it would be that the nurses and doctors are completely overworked due to the shortage of staffing levels. On that note while a patient recently I witnessed what can happen when agency staff are brought in to do cover, on one occasion an agency nurse (brought in from a nursing home)on our ward showed little or no knowledge of hygiene didn't wash her hands between patients and that included handling bed pans. Never pulled the curtain to offer a patient privacy when needing assistance with bed/toileting. On the plus side the nurses and staff that were there on a regular basis were above and beyond in their treatment of the patients.

Visited the a&e dept with my boyfriend. He has been waiting to see the consultant in staff member came into the procedure room wearing gloves, squashed down the rubbish in the infectious substance container with her hand, picked up a box from the counter and squashed that into the bin before deciding it wouldn't fit and placing it back on the counter. She opened the door with the same gloves and left. You would not want to be a person vulnerable to infections. Also noticed elderly people in there in obvious agony and distress treated with no dignity and ignored for hours on trolleys.The a&e doctor and 1 nurse were good. Other staff including the a&e receptionist on the phone to her friend, could not care less.

Lovely clean ward. Great staff, even though pushed to their limits at times due to a busy team. Mr O'Shaughnessy's tesm were great as were the theatre staff. Even for a nurse, I was nervous to go to theatre and found the team in the plastics theatre lovely

Getting Acute Promylectic Leukaemia and spending three and a half months in isolation was made bearable by the outstanding 2D staff and the Haemotology team at CUH.

My mother died on the 8t of January 2012 at Cork University Hospital. My mother complained of pain in her left thumb and recently underwent minor surgery to repair a tendon. It is my view my mother's subsequent death was as a result of minor hand surgery and subsequent misdiagnosis and the inappropriate treatment with enemas which lead to small bowel failure and acute pancreatitis. Death as a result of minor surgery is also supported by the findings of the Post Mortem

Great.

My advice would be to drive straight past this hospital and go to the Bos Secours or perhaps a veterinary-let's face it you would get better care at a vet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ended up moving hospital by request as care was negligent.

Having been diagnosed with cancer everyone at the hospital was very understanding and explained everything very well. I wouldn't have coped so well without them all. Thank you