Complaints against the NHS still rising

New figures from the NHS Information Centre have shown that the number of complaints made against the NHS is still rising.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “This report shows the biggest annual rise in written complaints about NHS hospitals and community services for 12 years.

“However it is important to bear in mind that there has been a substantial increase in NHS activity in England over time. For example, information from two of our other data collections show that hospital admissions increased by 28 per cent between 1998-99 and 2008-09, while GP consultations increased by an estimated 44 per cent between 1998 and 2008.”

Paul Burstow, health minister, was quick to blame this on the last administration.

He said: “Despite the hard work of NHS staff, (the figures) demonstrate that, after 13 years of targets and tickboxes, more people than ever complained about their experience of the NHS.

“The biggest annual rise in complaints in 12 years is the public’s verdict of the last government’s NHS record.”

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