NCT Watch

The Healthcare Commission has published a new report in which it urges NHS Trusts to learn from patients’ complaints and improve complaints handling, with key proposals including apologizing more often when they do make mistakes. The report shows that complaints about a lack of basic nursing care, poor communications, overly brisk GP consultations and a lack of help for mental health service users are among the key issues patients raise.

The report found that whilst the overwhelming majority of patients are happy with the care and treatment they receive, trusts still have some way to go before they are effectively resolving the complaints they do receive, and learning from the issues their patients raise.

Concerns raised regarding maternity services included staff not listening when women expressed their needs, being left alone in labour without pain relief, poor attitudes and midwives being too busy.