PARLIAMENTARY AND
HEALTH SERVICE (OMBUDSMAN) News Release issued by The Government
News Network on 13 June 2008
Ann Abraham, the
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) today urges the
NHS to improve the way it handles complaints.
In a new report - Remedy in the NHS - Ms Abraham summarises 12
NHS cases previously investigated by her Office, highlighting
examples of both good and bad practice in dealing with complaints.
She concludes that "the cases speak powerfully for themselves
about the individual and public benefit of effectively resolved complaints."
The cases, set out in the first of a series of reports aimed at
giving complainants and the NHS a clear understanding of how the
PHSO approaches complaints, touch on a wide range of issues. Some
of them identify failings in the service provision - from poor
record keeping and poor communication with patients, relatives and
carers to more serious clinical failings and, in one case, an
avoidable death. Others involve failings in complaint handling.
When putting things right NHS organisations should keep in mind
the following basic principles:
* If possible, returning the complainant and, where appropriate,
others who have suffered similar injustice or hardship to the
position they would have been in if the maladministration or poor
service had not occurred.
* If that is not possible, compensating the complainant and such
others appropriately.
* Considering fully and seriously all forms of remedy (such as an
apology, an explanation, remedial action to prevent a recurrence,
or financial compensation).
* Providing the appropriate remedy in each case.
Launching the publication, Ann Abraham said:
"Many of the cases in this collection highlight the value of
a sincere and timely apology, together with a well reasoned
explanation of what went wrong. I'm aware there can be
reputational risks for NHS bodies associated with my
investigations, but I will not hesitate to draw attention to the
bodies involved so that poor service can be identified and lessons learnt.
"Plans for a two stage complaints system for health and
social care in 2009 will give the PHSO and the Local Government
Ombudsman a sharper focus and greater prominence. I welcome this
move towards a system based on local resolution with direct
referral to an independent Ombudsman if this should fail. This is
why it is important that people know how the PHSO will approach a
complaint, the standards that we expect of public bodies in
providing their services and the principles they should be
following when things do go wrong. These standards are set out in
'Principles for Remedy' and 'Principles of Good
Administration' which we published last year.
'Principles of Good Complaint Handling' is now out for consultation".
ENDS
Information to Editors
The twelve cases involved:
* Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
and the Healthcare Commission
* University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the
Healthcare Commission
* Medway Primary Care Trust and West Kent Primary Care Trust
* Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust (now Heart of England NHS
Foundation Trust) and the Healthcare Commission
* South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the Healthcare Commission
* Southend Hospital NHS Trust and the Healthcare Commission
* Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and
Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust
* Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS
Trust and the Healthcare Commission
* Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust
* Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust and the
Healthcare Commission
* Dr Mrozinski, a locum GP in Trafford
* Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the
Healthcare Commission
Ann Abraham holds the posts of Parliamentary Ombudsman and also
Health Service Ombudsman for England. She is appointed by the
Crown and is completely independent of the government and the NHS.
Her role is to provide a service to the public by undertaking
independent investigations into complaints that government
departments, a range of other public bodies in the UK, and the NHS
in England, have not acted properly or fairly or have provided a
poor service. There are three Local Government Ombudsmen in
England and they each deal with complaints from different parts of
the country.
There is no charge for using the Ombudsman's services.
You can also read the report on the Ombudsman's website at:
http://www.ombudsman.org.uk
Links:
Principles of Good Administration
Principles for
Remedy
Principles of Good Complaint Handling