NHS complaints are at a record high – report
COMPLAINTS made to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales about Welsh NHS bodies hit a record high last year, new figures show.
The ombudsman’s annual report and accounts for 2017-18 reveal that complaints against NHS bodies – including health boards, trusts, GPs and dentists – increased by 7% on the previous year from 863 to 927.
Complaints about health boards rose 11%, with large increases in complaints about Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (up 29%) and Aneurin Bevan University Health Boards (up 34%).
While the number of complaints about Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board fell by 3%, it still generated 186 complaints, the highest number of any health board in Wales.
There were small reductions in the number of complaints about other NHS bodies such as GPs and dentists.
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, Nick Bennett, said: “Spiralling health complaints are a real concern and they now make up more than 40% of my office’s total caseload.
“Many healthcare complaints are complex, sensitive and significant, often involving harm or the death of a family member.
“They often take longer to investigate due to the seriousness of the matters raised and the need for clinical advice.
“When my office finds an injustice, we expect bodies to take on the learning from my investigations – only if they do this are we likely to stem the flow of complaints.”
When it comes to the total number of complaints, including those not involving health matters, the ombudsman received 2,253 complaints – 2% fewer than in the previous year.
This decrease is largely attributed to a 10% reduction in complaints about local authority services.
Complaints that local councillors had breached their code of conduct, however, increased by 14%.
Assembly Members recently agreed to approve the general principles of new legislation that would give the ombudsman his own initiative powers and enable him to investigate the private healthcare element of complaints involving a mix of public and private healthcare.
Mr Bennett added: “More generally, I’m pleased to see a small reduction in the total number of complaints across devolved public services in Wales, with a 10% drop in complaints about local government. I hope standards of service are maintained and the improvement continues next year.”
In response, a Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “Investment in our NHS is at record levels and 90% of respondents to the National Survey for Wales said they were satisfied with the care they received.
“The number of complaints made in relation to the number of patients treated is very small.
“However, we take all complaints very seriously and have a process in place for them to be thoroughly investigated in an open, honest and transparent way.
“We expect all NHS organisations in Wales to learn lessons from the feedback they receive.”