New NHS Complaints Regulations what you should know

1
New NHS Complaints Regulations what you should
know

• Victoria Pearson
• Acting Complaints Incidents Manager
• Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT

2
Whats New?

• New joint protocol for Health and Social Care
• Regulations took effect 1st April 09
• The Healthcare Commission (HCC) ceased to exist
  and was replaced by Care Quality Commission
  (CQC). The CQC play no part in NHS Complaints
  handling.
• Existing 3-step complaints process replaced by
  new 2-step complaints process

3
The Old System
Complaint acknowledge within 2 working days
1. Local Resolution full written response within
10 working days
Conciliation Meeting
2. Request for Independent Review (Healthcare
Commission)
Independent Review Panel
3. Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman

4
The New System
Complaint acknowledge within 3 working days
1. Local Resolution (Response timescale to be
agreed with complainant)
Conciliation Meeting
2. Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman

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• LOCAL RESOLUTION
• REVIEW BY
• HEALTH SERVICE OMBUDSMAN

6
Successful Local Resolution

• Stick to response timescales
• Keep the complainant in the picture
• Conduct a thorough and honest investigation
• Use your findings to improve your service free
  market research!
• Dont be afraid to apologise

7
A Good Response

• A good response can make the difference between
  a complaint being resolved there and then or not.
• Tone
• Language
• Jargon
• Explanation
• Apology
• Ask yourself would I be happy to receive this?

8
Patient Advice Liaison Service

• Provide advice to patients and staff
• Deal with verbal complaints that can be easily
  resolved
• Telephone based service
• Aim to achieve informal and speedy resolution

9
Conciliation Meeting

• Face to face meeting
• It is
• The opportunity to have an open and frank
  discussion with the aim of resolving outstanding
  issues
• It is not
• An opportunity to point fingers or apportion
  blame, or a forum to abuse staff
• The PCT pays for an independent professional
  conciliator to chair meetings from complaints we
  have handled

10
Health Service Ombudsman

• Final stage of complaints process
• If local resolution fails then the complainant
  can refer their concerns to the Health Service
  Ombudsman for Review
• The ombudsman will be looking to see whether or
  not the complaint has been handled properly. If
  it hasnt, they have the power to uphold a
  complaint. They may refer any serious concerns to
  the CQC
• It is very important that complaints are handled
  properly

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Useful Contacts

• Local Complaints Managers PALS Teams
• Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT
• Complaints - 0121 255 0796
• PALS 0121 255 0707
• Birmingham East North PCT
• Complaints 0121 380 9025
• PALS 0800 328 3205
• South Birmingham PCT
• Complaints 0121 465 7978
• PALS - 0800 389 8391
• Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)
  http//www.pohwer.net/

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• Any Questions?