NHS told to improve complaint handling

Thursday, 10 March 2005 12:00 AM

The NHS has been told by the Health Service Ombudsman to improve the way it handles patient complaints.

A new report from ombudsman Ann Abraham into the complaint system said that patients have been failed by the system for the last eight years.

She found that fragmentation of the complaints system, within the NHS and private healthcare practices for instance, has caused undermined the effective working of the framework.

Incompetence in the handling of complaints and a failure by the NHS to focus on patients needs has undermined the system and has made it hard for patients to resolve problems which have occurred, according to the report.

"Many fine words have been spoken over the years about the need for a truly patient-focused complaints system but it has still not become a reality," said Ms Abraham.

"What we need now is commitment and leadership from the Department of Health in setting standards to be met by all providers of NHS care and in ensuring the adoption of a common approach to complaints across health and social care."

Ms Abraham urged all NHS bodies to listen to and value the feedback which they receive and to learn from complaints as repeat mistakes are common.

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said that problems with the complaint system had been caused by the abolition of Community Health Councils.

Mr Lansley said: "The abolition of Community Health Councils and the fragmentation of the patient advocacy functions in the NHS, under Labour, has led to the failure of the complaints system. The loss of independence in local resolution has led to a potential trebling of second-stage complaints this year compared to last. It has become complex and bureaucratic.

"The Government approach is to regard complaints as a nuisance and as an attack on the NHS - it isn't. Delivering value for money in the NHS demands attention to patients' needs and complaints. We have to ensure that patient voice gives health providers, obligations to respond to complaints and incentives to learn from them."

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