For the first time the number of complaints that have been made
to the Health Service Ombudsman have been published. According to
this recent report Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT), which manages
health centres and community hospitals, is in the top 10 of most
complained about NHS bodies.
Devon PCT received 84 complaints in 2009 - 2010, and they were
mostly in relation to dentistry. The trust however said that as
they were one of the largest in the country they would have
expected more complaints than this.
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Derriford Hospital,
received 64 complaints. Of these they said five were being
investigated and the remainder had been referred back for further
local resolution or the Ombudsman found that the trust had done
everything possible to try to resolve the complaint.
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust had 30 complaints
and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust had 36.
Stephen Hanbury, Associate Solicitor in the medical negligence
department at Wolferstans commented that, "the figures are
disappointing because a complainant will often go to the Health
Service Ombudsman if they are unhappy about the outcome of the
Trust's investigation. The report's findings may therefore reflect
a poor approach to complaint handling on the part of the Devon
PCT."
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have or know someone who has been injured and may have a medical
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