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Rob Webster, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation has responded to Health Select Committee's report on Complaints and Raising Concerns.

Rob Webster, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“We are pleased that the Committee recognises the progress that has been made by our members since their last report on this issue in 2011. There is no room for complacency as further action is clearly needed to demonstrate consistent approaches to complaints handling.

Having an effective complaints procedure is an important part of offering high-quality, safe healthcare. We provided evidence to this inquiry highlighting that an NHS complaints systems needs to have a simple golden thread, where the patients and their families always receive an apology, an explanation and a clear description of the lessons that have been learned as a result. 

The NHS Confederation has long argued that patients must easily know where they need to go and who they need to talk to if they wish to raise a concern. The Committee’s call for a single complaints gateway for all NHS providers is a recommendation we certainly welcome to help make the process clearer and more effective. This will need to be delivered in ways which also allow rapid response and resolution of complaints.

We note the Committee’s comments on the experience of some whistleblowers in the NHS and how this is at odds with improvements in culture and confidence elsewhere.  We support the calls for practical redress for those who have been harmed as a consequence of raising genuine concerns. We should apply the same golden thread of complaints handling to staff who have been failed. We also look forward to the Francis report and its findings following detailed scrutiny in this area.”