One year on: NHS complaints system

Is the new complaints system better for GPs and their patients?

In April, one year will have passed since the new system of NHS complaints came into being.

MPS has always endorsed the refreshed patient-focused approach that this two-stage system brought with it, along with a new emphasis on involving patients in local resolution and learning lessons.

Our experience

Complaint handling is the frequent reason for GP practices contacting MPS for advice and in 2009 we responded to more than 2,000 enquiries.

As a result of the many significant changes that the new complaints system has brought about, the complexity of enquiries we are seeing from practices has increased.

Where the process has been fully adopted, there have been benefits for both practice and patient. For example, one practice welcomed the flexible manner in which the complaint handling can be adapted to suit individual circumstances.

Another practice found that some complainants actually withdrew their grievance due to the initial discussion held early on.

However, for many practices there are still challenges in implementing the new system. These include: 

• Drawing up a plan for resolution of the complaint in conjunction with the complainant 
• Evidencing improvements made to services 
• Dealing with and cooperating in multi-agency complaints 
• Involving the PCT more in GP complaints 
• Ensuring that complaints policies and patient information reflect the new process.

Financial redress

Another issue faced by GP practices at the local resolution stage of complaints is the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s remit to offer financial redress to patients where there has been hardship or injustice as a result of maladministration or poor service.

Where possible the aim is to restore the complainant to the position they would have been in if the incident had not occurred and can include financial recompense for distress, inconvenience or reimbursement of costs incurred.

The Welsh Assembly made an interesting contribution to this issue when it recently proposed aa combination of the reformed NHS complaints procedure and the redress scheme. This relationship is a sensible consideration, but we are concerned that this integration would create unrealistic expectations for complaints compensation – and a high cost to the NHS as a result.

Although parliament passed legislation in 2006 to introduce an NHS Redress Scheme in England for low value claims, this is yet to be implemented. When it is, we hope that the government will maintain its original intentions and keep the complaints and redress systems separate.