Viral video of elderly woman disrespected in hospital was not UHL

Multiple outlets, including RTE, reported on the viral video which appeared to show a patient being disrespected by a nurse.

The "family" of the woman came forward to speak about their disgust at their late mother's treatment, appearing on multiple outlets.

It has now been revealed that the woman involved is not related to that family and the video was not taken in University Hospital Limerick. JOE understands that the family of the real woman are distressed by the entire episode.

HSE Mid West has completed its investigation into the distressing video circulated widely on social media and thereafter reported by local and national media, a statement said.

"The investigation has confirmed that the video does not show the patient identified in media reports, did not occur in University Hospital Limerick or any HSE Mid West facility, and does not involve a member of UHL or HSE Mid West staff," the statement added.

"The hospital where the incident actually occurred (outside of HSE Mid West) has confirmed that the footage originated there. The patient involved has been identified and the family concerned has been informed."

The video, which has been seen over 200,000 times on social media, shows a healthcare worker abruptly telling a patient “no” after she asks for a cup of tea.

The healthcare worker is also heard saying: “You are crazy.”

The family of Ita Tobin, who had been a patient at UHL, said publicly that they believed the patient was their mother and appeared on multiple outlets speaking about their disgust at her treatment.

Aisling Hogan, from Limerick, who went public in seeking answers from the HSE, claiming the female patient in the video was her mother Ita Tobin, said Sunday night that she was “wholeheartedly” sorry that she was mistaken.

“I am deeply sorry for getting this wrong,” she wrote on Facebook. “When I first saw the video, myself and my family genuinely and wholeheartedly believed the woman (patient) was our mother. We wholeheartedly apologise for the upset caused.”

She added that she was shocked by the outcome of the HSE’s enquiries, and she had no further comment to make at this point.

The Health Minister said today (Monday) that it is a “lesson to everybody” after the news emerged.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said: “I suppose it’s a lesson to everybody to take a moment and just establish the facts first.”

Carroll MacNeill today said, “Sometimes we’re too quick – whether it’s in politics, whether it’s in media, whether it’s on social media – we’re too quick as a people to jump to a particular conclusion instead of establishing the facts.

“We are still a fact-based society. We are still a science-based society. And sometimes a little pause is no harm in relation to that.”

The minister also said that she was “very sorry” that UHL staff had experienced abusive comments in relation to the video. 

“They [at UHL] are extremely hardworking, they are dedicated to patient safety,” she said, acknowledging the particularly high number of patients presenting during August. 

She said that she did not want to “jump to any conclusions” regarding the hospital the incident happened at, but that she “would allow that investigation” to happen before commenting further.