Ombudsman reports record number of complaints
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《英国医生杂志》
A record 4700 complaints about the NHS have been made to Ann Abraham, England抯 health service ombudsman, between April 2003 and March 2004. This represents an increase of 18% over the previous year, according to the annual report published last week.
Much of this increase reflects a rise in complaints about the ongoing issue of NHS funding for the continuing care of elderly and disabled people. Deficiencies in eligibility criteria and assessments that led to severe hardship in some cases were highlighted in a report published by the ombudsman last year and prompted the strategic health authorities to review all relevant cases dating back to 1996. The review is not yet complete and patients continue to suffer, says the report.
The annual report also reflects an overall trend of increasing numbers of complaints coming to the ombudsman over the past 10 years. In 1993-4 the ombusdman received only 1165 new complaints, a quarter of the number received in 2003-4.
Although the annual report does not explore the reasons for this increase, it does highlight areas which could be improved in the NHS. It emphasises the effect of poor communications—between doctors and patients, between health professionals, and between services—was emphasised in the report.
Poor handling of complaints once things have gone wrong—typified by delays in responding to complainants?concerns, poor communication with complainants, and inadequate record keeping—was another theme highlighted. In one case, a man who complained about the care given to his late uncle had to wait nearly four years before being told that the trust had turned down his request for an independent review of his complaint.
The ombudsman found that the delays were the result of a catalogue of poor practice and denial of responsibility. The trust agreed to improve and monitor its performance in complaints handling and to make an ex gratia payment to the man as recognition of the trouble to which he had been put over such a long period.
In her report the ombudsman expressed particular disappointment over the delay in the introduction of a new NHS complaints procedure, which would be more accessible, patient centred, and responsive.
Ms Abraham said, "We demand a lot from our NHS, and sometimes it does not deliver. Perhaps this is not surprising, but when it happens, people rightly expect their concerns to be addressed and the service to learn from its mistakes."(London Debashis Singh)
Much of this increase reflects a rise in complaints about the ongoing issue of NHS funding for the continuing care of elderly and disabled people. Deficiencies in eligibility criteria and assessments that led to severe hardship in some cases were highlighted in a report published by the ombudsman last year and prompted the strategic health authorities to review all relevant cases dating back to 1996. The review is not yet complete and patients continue to suffer, says the report.
The annual report also reflects an overall trend of increasing numbers of complaints coming to the ombudsman over the past 10 years. In 1993-4 the ombusdman received only 1165 new complaints, a quarter of the number received in 2003-4.
Although the annual report does not explore the reasons for this increase, it does highlight areas which could be improved in the NHS. It emphasises the effect of poor communications—between doctors and patients, between health professionals, and between services—was emphasised in the report.
Poor handling of complaints once things have gone wrong—typified by delays in responding to complainants?concerns, poor communication with complainants, and inadequate record keeping—was another theme highlighted. In one case, a man who complained about the care given to his late uncle had to wait nearly four years before being told that the trust had turned down his request for an independent review of his complaint.
The ombudsman found that the delays were the result of a catalogue of poor practice and denial of responsibility. The trust agreed to improve and monitor its performance in complaints handling and to make an ex gratia payment to the man as recognition of the trouble to which he had been put over such a long period.
In her report the ombudsman expressed particular disappointment over the delay in the introduction of a new NHS complaints procedure, which would be more accessible, patient centred, and responsive.
Ms Abraham said, "We demand a lot from our NHS, and sometimes it does not deliver. Perhaps this is not surprising, but when it happens, people rightly expect their concerns to be addressed and the service to learn from its mistakes."(London Debashis Singh)