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How we learn from complaints

How we learn from complaints

The Patient Experience Team meet every week to discuss all open complaints and when investigations are concluded, the learning from the complaint is considered by the investigator at the time and referenced in the final complaint response

This can mean the investigator requesting that action is taken within a certain time.  The team also meet every month to discuss learning to see if there are any themes arising that the Trust needs to deal with. 

The reporting mechanisms we have in place ensure that learning is disseminated widely. Summaries of responses and actions are reported to the boroughs making sure that actions are taken locally.

We also report themes of learning that have arisen on a quarterly basis to a Serious Incident and Governance Group so that we can monitor concerns.  Complaints are also reported to the Board every month via the Integrated Governance Report and a Complaints Annual Report is considered annually at a Board Committee.

Patient Stories are also reported to the Board every month, complaints and compliments are often the source of these stories and help us to see, from your perspective, what has happened. 

Performance Indicators

When the Patient Experience Team meet each week, we also check to make sure that investigations are going smoothly and are timely to meet the Trust's performance indicator to respond to all complaints in 25 working days in at least 85% of cases. (40 days in complex cases)

We also have a performance indicator to formally acknowledge complaints within three working days in 100% of cases.

Legislation on how complaints are handled

The way NHS complaints are handled is subject to the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 (the 2009 Regulations) which can be accessed via the Office of Public Sector Information website.

The policy adopts the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's Principles of the Good Complaints Handling which are:

  • Getting it right
  • Being customer focused
  • Being open and accountable
  • Acting fairly and proportionatel
  • Putting things right
  • Seeking continuous improvement

It also adopts Ombudsman's Principles of Administration and the Principles of Redress. All three Principles can be found on the Ombudsman's website.

Satisfaction survey about our complaints handling

If you have had a complaint dealt with by the our Patient Experience Team we would like to hear from you.

We would like to hear about what we are doing well and what we can learn from. Please complete this survey.