1,794 formal written complaints in Trust

NEARLY two thousand formal written complaints were submitted to the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) over the past three years; 426 of these were in relation to treatment, care and quality; 258 in relation to communication with patients; and 237 in relation to staff attitude or behaviour.

The total number of complaints in the Western Trust between 2007/8 and 2009.10 was 1,794.

The Health Minister outlined the information in response to an Assembly Question.

It relates to formal complaints submitted in writing to the Trust in each of the last three years.

The total number of complaints were as follows: access to Premises (46); admission into hospital, delay/cancellation (inpatients) (61); aids/adaptations/appliances (36); appointments, delay/cancellation (outpatient) (89); clinical Diagnosis (41); communication/information to patients (258); complaints handling (7); confidentiality (32); consent to treatment (5);contracted regulated establishments and agencies (1); other contracted services (4); delayed admission from A&E (5); discharge/transfer arrangements (41); environmental (6); hotel/support/security services (25); infection Control (20); mortuary and post-mortem (0); patients’ privacy/dignity (13); patients’ property/expenses/finance (17); patients’ status/discrimination (3); policy/commercial decisions (72); professional assessment of deed (31); records/records keeping (23); staff attitude/behaviour (237); theatre/operation/procedure, delay/cancellation (5); transport, late or non-arrival/journey time (0); transport, suitability of vehicle/equipment (2); treatment and care, quality (426); treatment and Care, quantity (116); waiting lists, community services (3);

waiting times, community services (2); waiting times, A&E Departments (17); waiting times, outpatient departments (35); children order complaints (35); other (80); prison healthcare related complaints (0).