title: Supporting staff to respond effectively to informal complaints: findings from an action research study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand how nurses and midwives manage informal complaints at ward level.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The provision of high quality, compassionate clinical nursing and midwifery is a global priority. Complaints management systems have been established within the National Health Service in the UK to improve patient experience yet little is known about effective responses to informal complaints in clinical practice by nurses and midwives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collaborative action research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four phases of data collection and analysis relating to primarily one National Health Service trust during 2011-2014 including: scoping of complaints data, interviews with five service users and six key stakeholders and eight reflective discussion groups with six midwives over a period of nine months, two sessions of communications training with separate groups of midwives and one focus group with four nurses in the collaborating trust.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three key themes emerged from these data: multiple and domino complaints; ward staff need support; and unclear complaints systems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current research does not capture the complexities of complaints and the nursing and midwifery response to informal complaints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Robust systems are required to support clinical staff to improve their response to informal complaints and thereby improve the patient experience.
authors: Middlesex University, London, UK.
authors: Helen T
authors: HT
authors: Allan
authors: University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
authors: Ann Christine
authors: AC
authors: Odelius
authors: Cardiff University, Cardiff Wales, UK.
authors: Billie J
authors: BJ
authors: Hunter
authors: Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Bryan
authors: University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Knibb
authors: University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
authors: Jill
authors: J
authors: Shawe
authors: University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
authors: Ann
authors: A
authors: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom; D017132:Workplace
keywords: action research; health care complaints; midwifery care complaints; nursing care complaints; patient complaints