Complaints are grievances that may be indicative of some system failures or individual failings, or a combination of both. They can indicate serious issues. They may indicate dissatisfaction without detail. They are often complex and emotive. Organisations may try to protect themselves and their staff rather than truly resolve a patient’s complaint. Litigation can result from dissatisfaction with a complaints handling system that does not meet a patient’s needs.
In 2020 the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman in England undertook research into the management of healthcare complaints in the NHS, and concluded that complaints, rather than providing opportunities for learning or patient involvement, are still negatively perceived by healthcare entities. Furthermore, there were considerable variations in what constitutes good practice in complaint responses with disparate training provided for complaint handlers.
Have you used that report? Does your organisation aim for complaint resolution rather than just complaint handling? Do you use the learning obtained from complaints? Are your staff trained in managing and resolving complaints? Do you have a third-party adjudication mechanism that supports complaint resolution?
Please contact ISCAS to find out how we can help you with complaint resolution.
Written by Vivienne Heckford.