18.09.12
Listen carefully
There are undoubtedly many reasons why the number of complaints against doctors is rising, and the GMC is right to highlight patients’ higher expectations and willingness to complain.
But a portion of responsibility must be attributed to the doctors themselves, and the organisations that provide them with training and education.
The fact that patients are now becoming more picky about their care is not a negative development; for it is this feedback and criticism that will drive improvements in standards across the NHS.
The GMC’s work into understanding the nature of the complaints and which subsets they are directed towards is also important, as it is only when the NHS can truly comprehend where it is going wrong, that it can set things right.
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