NHS complaints system
Monday, 11 Feb 2008 10:26
The new system is designed to make it easier to complain
A new complaints system which is designed to be more 'user friendly' has been developed for health and social care concerns.
The government claims the new unified system will make it easier to complain when things go wrong with people's care.
The NHS receives about 140,000 complaints a year.
Unlike the previous three-tiered system for NHS complaints and the four-tiered system for social care complaints, the revised procedure has two stages which focus on a local resolution.
If the complaint is unresolved an investigation by the Health or Local Government Ombudsman will take place.
As well as being more user-friendly, the government says the new system will be far more responsive to people's needs.
It also hopes the procedure will ensure that health and social care services should routinely learn from complaints.
The new arrangements will be trialled for six months in a site in each strategic health authority before being implemented nationally in April 2009.
"I know that people find the current complaints system confusing," said health minister Ann Keen.
"Some may also avoid complaining because they feel too intimidated or worry about damaging their relationship with their GP or social worker. This must change."
She added: "This new system will ensure organisations take complaints seriously and that boards understand the benefits of dealing with complaints effectively and the consequences if they don't."
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