New Healthcare Commision report: patients want trusts to say sorry more often
07 Apr 2008
A report out today from the Healthcare Commission is urging NHS trusts to improve complaints handling, with key proposals including acknowledging and apologising for mistakes. Complaints about a lack of basic nursing care, poor communications, overly brisk GP consultations and a lack of help for mental health service users are among the key issues patients raise.
This research suggests that 52% of complainants either want an apology, a better explanation or recognition of the event. Twenty one per cent want improvements to services or for the same thing not to happen to other patients. Only 18% are looking for action to be taken against staff, compensation or reimbursement of fees.
“It is often a distressing and frustrating time for patients who feel they haven’t received the care they deserve. It is striking that so many people simply want an apology and steps taken to ensure the problem is not repeated."
10,000 complaints that were independently reviewed by the Commission between August 2006 and July 2007. Each year the NHS delivers 380 million treatments. Of the 140,000 complaints those where the patient was unhappy with their treatment were reviewed.
Today’s report, the second of its kind, looks at how complaints are handled and the common themes to enable trusts to learn lessons from them.
Despite the number of complaints the Commission returned to trusts for further action falling the Commission upheld or partially upheld almost 20% in favour of the complainant. This was an increase from just 8% the previous year. Often the care provided was not in line with best practise for treatment and clinical advice.
The concerns of many complainants centred on the basic elements of healthcare. Examples include: communication between clinical staff, standards of care and safety and fundamental aspects of nursing care such as nutrition, and privacy and dignity. The third most frequent issue raised was complaints handling, which accounted for 16% of the total, up significantly from 5% the previous year.
This suggests patients are increasingly concerned about the processes trusts follow, as well as the care itself.
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