A 22 month study of patient complaints at a National Health Service hospital.
Patient complaints are an important source of information for service improvements. We audited patient complaints made about medical care in a National Health Service District general hospital over a 22 month period. Complaints were about medical care, nursing care, attitudes of staff, poor communication, clinical delay (9%) and hospital environment. The complaints department closed 66% complaints within 20 days. The majority of the complaints were directly related to clinical care, poor communication, attitudes of staff and nursing care. However, 99% of patients were satisfied with an explanation and an apology indicating that almost all have been due to a lack of good communication than due to real deficiencies in the clinical care. The hospital management has investigated the majority of cases within 20 days and has made several policy changes after the investigations.
Siyambalapitiya
Sajith
S
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Caunt
Julie
J
Harrison
Natalie
N
White
Lesley
L
Weremczuk
Denise
D
Fernando
Devaka J S
DJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000592:standards; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D015285:Hospital-Patient Relations; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D016134:Organizational Policy; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013222:State Medicine / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors