Complaints to the NHS increase to 64 per day

Complaints to NHS Scotland have risen 10 per cent in a year and are equivalent to around 64 per day, new figures have shown.

Official statistics revealed 23,507 grievances were registered between 1 April, 2016, and the end of March 2017, up from 21,454 the previous year.

Complaints are now at their highest level in the past five years but represent just 0.06 per cent of all NHS Scotland activity.

Those relating to hospital and community health services rose 9 per cent year on year to 14,703.

Objections in this area have increased 58 per cent since 2012-13 which researchers who put together the data said was “mostly due to complaints made within prison services” after prisoner healthcare moved from the Scottish Prison Service to the NHS in 2011.