Rochdale Health Trust improves complaints performance

Date published: 09/04/2008

Between August 2006 and July 2007, Pennine Acute Trust, which runs Rochdale Infirmary, was among the five worst in the country for the way it handles complaints.

A spokesman for the Trust said that the situation has now improved following strong action over the last 12 months.

The Trust acted to speed up responses to complaints. Figures show that more than 90 per cent are now answered within 25 working days compared with fewer than half a year ago. The Trust also believes they are now more willing to meet people to talk about concerns in more complex cases.

A report from the health watchdog showed that people who complain to the NHS want them to apologise more often.

According to the ‘Spotlight on Complaints’ report, most complaints are based on a lack of basic nursing care, poor communications, GP consultations being too brief, and a lack of help available to mental health service users.

The commission reviewed more than 10,000 complaints and recommended 2,300 apologies.

The NHS received around 140,000 complaints from 380 million treatments carried out during this period.