{"id":750744,"date":"2026-08-26T22:06:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T22:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/750744\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T22:06:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T22:06:50","slug":"hse-investigating-after-video-shows-dementia-patient-being-disrespected-on-hospital-ward-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/750744\/","title":{"rendered":"HSE investigating after video shows dementia patient being \u2018disrespected\u2019 on hospital ward \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The HSE<\/a> said it was appalled at a video recording appearing to show the behaviour of a healthcare worker towards an elderly patient with dementia.<\/p>\n

HSE Mid West is investigating the circumstances of the incident, which the patient\u2019s family said they believed occurred at University Hospital Limerick<\/a> (UHL) in late May or early June 2024.<\/p>\n

The patient, Ita Tobin, died of natural causes at a nursing home on August 23rd last year.<\/p>\n

The video recording came to light after it was shared on social media a day after the first anniversary of the woman\u2019s death last Sunday. It has since been viewed widely online.<\/p>\n

Tobin, from Ballynanty, Limerick, had been living with dementia at the time of the incident and was being treated for a suspected heart attack at UHL.<\/p>\n

In footage posted on social media, a healthcare worker at the hospital is heard abruptly telling her \u201cNo\u201d after she asked if she could have a cup of tea.<\/p>\n

The health worker is also apparently heard telling Tobin: \u201cYou are crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Tobin asks the worker what food is on the table in front of her hospital bed, the worker said: \u201cYou can see, so why are you asking?\u201d<\/p>\n

The mobile phone video footage was recorded by another patient on the ward.<\/p>\n

Tobin\u2019s family said they were \u201ctraumatised\u201d by the video and have sought answers from the HSE and the Health Information and Quality Authority<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tobin\u2019s daughter, Aisling Hogan, who does not know who recorded the video, said she was \u201cshocked\u201d when it was sent to her by a relative.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want answers. I wouldn\u2019t wish this on anyone. We are devastated and heartbroken,\u201d Hogan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sick to my stomach that someone could treat another person like that. With dementia you are losing the person twice, because in the long run you have lost them before they die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so angry. It\u2019s so maddening and heartbreaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s disgusting. It\u2019s vile. How can anyone … treat somebody like that? It is inhumane.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother didn\u2019t ask for dementia. She was a very intelligent woman and she did a lot of her community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The HSE said: \u201cHSE Mid West is aware of a video circulating on social media which shows an interaction between a healthcare worker and a patient.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe footage is deeply concerning and the behaviour depicted is wholly unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt falls far short of the standards of dignity, respect and compassionate care that all patients are entitled to expect.<\/p>\n

\u201cWork is under way to identity the service involved, as the specific location, date and full circumstances surrounding the incident have not yet been verified.\u201d<\/p>\n

It said it was working to establish the facts and said it took concerns regarding patient care and safety seriously.<\/p>\n

The Hogan family has also written to Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.<\/p>\n

Through her private secretary, Carroll MacNeill extended her \u201csincere condolences\u201d to the family on their \u201closs\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also recognise the distress and hurt that you have described arising from the recent circulation of footage relating to her care,\u201d MacNeill said in the email to the family.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can appreciate how upsetting it must have been to become aware of this material, particularly as it emerged around the anniversary of [her] passing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis must have been an especially difficult experience for you and your family, and I recognise the emotional impact that these circumstances have had.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said \u201cresponsibility\u201d for delivering care and management of the health service rested with the HSE, saying: \u201cI understand that HSE Mid West is examining this matter and seeking to establish all of the relevant facts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile it would not be appropriate to comment on the specific circumstances of the case while that process is ongoing, I want to assure you that concerns regarding the care, dignity and respect afforded to patients are treated with the utmost seriousness.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The HSE said it was appalled at a video recording appearing to show the behaviour of a healthcare…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":750745,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[102,179985,2960,7156,1712,17881,56,54,55,223944],"class_list":["post-750744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-health","tag-health-information-and-quality-authority-hiqa","tag-healthcare","tag-hse","tag-jennifer-carroll-macneill","tag-limerick","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-university-hospital-limerick"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=750744"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750744\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/750745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=750744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=750744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=750744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}