Health trust defends itself on complaints

THE Pennine Acute Trust today hit back at statistics which put it as the worst in the North-West for complaints.

Figures compiled by the NHS Information Centre reveal that 12,902 complaints were made in the North-West about NHS hospital and community health services last year (April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010). But a trust spokesman said it was one of the largest trusts in the North-West.

He added: “The NHS Information Centre data tables and the complaints figure quoted for 2009-10 of 699 (a reduction from 735 in 2008-09) should be seen within context and the fact that this trust treats patients more than one million times a year. This equates to one formal complaint in 1,500 patient contacts.”

The figures reveal that more complaints have been made about the Pennine Acute Trust than any other health trust in the North-West.

A total of 699 written complaints were made against the trust, which runs hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, North Manchester, and Bury.

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health services for Oldham patients, received 146 complaints.

NHS Oldham, which is responsible for health services across the community, had 56.

There were 218 complaints about general practice in Oldham and 21 against the borough’s dentists. But the statistics only give the number of complaints and to whom they were directed — not the subject of the complaint

The trust spokesman added: “To enable complaints to be resolved quickly and any follow-up action taken, we would encourage patients to make their complaint at ward or department level.

“We appreciate that this may not always be appropriate and in these circumstances patients may contact the Trust’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) where staff are on hand to help and advise.”

The report also revealed that written complaints about NHS hospital and community services in England had the biggest annual rise in 12 years.

Between 2008-09 and 2009-10, the number of complaints rose by 13.4 per cent to 101,077, the largest year-on-year increase since the first report in 1997-98.

The majority of complaints were about the medical profession itself, while others were about individual nurses, midwives, health visitors and NHS admin staff.

Tim Straughan, NHS Information Centre chief executive, said the rise in complaints could be as a result of busier services.

He said: “It is important to bear in mind that there has been a substantial increase in NHS activity in England over time.

The report can be read at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/nhscomplaints0910