13.08.13
NHS complaint culture a ‘toxic cocktail’ – Ombudsman
There is a “toxic cocktail” of reluctance to complain about NHS care and hospitals’ defensiveness, the Health Service Ombudsman has found.
The NHS must move towards a more open culture of feedback and improvement, new research shows, with a focus on putting things right and collaborating to listen to concerns.
Poor communication was highlighted as a key issue, and staff reported fearing blame if they received complaints. There is also a confusing variation in complaints procedures across trusts, and a need for more training for staff to respond to complaints.
The Health Service Ombudsman, Julie Mellor, said: “There has been much said about what is wrong since Mid Staffs. But, we have now identified what can be done to make things better. This research – the first of its kind – brings together patients, carers and frontline staff in designing a new model that works for everyone. The strong message was the need for a step change in the culture from defensiveness to welcoming and seeking feedback, including concerns and complaints, to deliver continuous improvement and the best possible patient care.
“The key themes that come up again and again – those of openness, leadership and culture change – all start with the board and end at the point of delivery on the ward.
“There is a toxic cocktail of reluctance by patients to complain and defensiveness by hospitals in handling complaints. This means concerns and complaints are going unheard or unaddressed. Only strong leadership from boards will deliver the culture change and improvement on wards that we all agree the NHS needs.”
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